Shadows of the Island
by marinawings
Summary: When Clytie Seaborne's brother goes missing on the sea near Skull Island, she goes to the only people she knows can help her bring him back, Skull Island's survivors. JackAnn, EnglehornOC
1. Chapter 1

This is my first attempt at a King Kong fic. It takes place about a year after the events of the movie.

Chapter One

"He's… gone? Disappeared?" Clytie Seaborne felt her heart skip a beat. "But that can't be right. Just yesterday he sent me a message, saying that he'd found what we've been looking for." Her hands were shaking so badly that she nearly dropped the phone.

"I'm sorry, Clytie," came the voice on the other end of the line. "I really am. Would you like his last transmission?"

Clytie frowned. "You mean, it wasn't to me, his own sister?"

"No… Actually, he sent it to me. Let me see. Here it is. First, he gives his longitude and latitude, then he says, 'Heavy fog. Instruments seem to be acting strangely. Visibility low.'"

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Clytie searched around the phone table for a pen and paper. "Jake, give me that longitude and latitude."

The man on the other end was silent.

"Give it to me, Jake." Her voice was low and cold.

"Clytie… you aren't thinking of… going after him, are you?"

Clytie bit her lip, then took a deep breath. "Yes," she whispered. "He's my brother. What would you do?"

"Haven't you heard all the horror stories about that area of the sea? Don't you remember what happened in New York last year with that animal they brought back?"

"Yes, Jake. I remember."

"All right, Clytie. Here it is." He read out the latitude and longitude that David Seaborne had reported to him last, and Clytie wrote it down. "As if you could even get there," Jake added. "No one is going to be mad enough to take you there."

Then, it hit her. She knew what she had to do. "Jake, thank-you so much for all your help to our family over the years. I have to go."

"Clytie… don't be foolish. David is gone. And don't you even think about--"

Before he could say "hanging up on me," Clytie hung up the phone. She crossed the hall to the small living room, sitting down on the green sofa. She held up the little paper she had written on, memorizing the numbers. "I'm coming, David," she whispered. "Don't worry. Your big sister is on her way."

(LINE)

"Ann, did you see that sad story in the paper?" Jack Driscoll leaned back in his seat at the kitchen table, searching around for his wife.

"Which one?" Ann asked, coming up behind him. She laid a hand on his shoulder and looked over him at the paper. "There are so many."

"The one about that young explorer disappearing at sea. Just two days ago." Jack held up the paper and pointed to the story. Above it was the picture of a young man, probably in his early twenties, handsome, with unruly dark hair and laughing eyes. "His name is David Seaborne. He's an archaeologist, mostly works with shipwrecks. His sister, Clytie, is a well-known marine biologist. Their last name suits them--Seaborne."

Ann frowned. "Clytie Seaborne… Didn't she come to one of our plays?"

Jack raised his eyebrows. "I don't remember."

"Tall, blonde, large green eyes." Ann pointed to the picture. "Doesn't look a thing like him, except maybe in the shape of the eyebrows."

Jack smiled. "My, but you've got a good memory, darling." Then he frowned.

"What is it, Jack?" Ann knew that something was really bothering her husband. "What's bothering you?"

"Look at this." He stood and handed her the paper, pointing to one of the paragraphs.

Ann peered down at the words and read them quietly. "'Mr. Seaborne was last heard from by Jake Atkins, his godfather. His last message, sent in Morse code, gave his location to be quite near the legendary Skull Island, from whence came the tragic beast Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World, who cause such a stir last year.'" Ann looked up from the paper, her eyes large and worried. "Oh, Jack. The island…" She dropped the paper from the table and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly.

Jack put an arm around her. "I'm sorry that I brought back the memories like that. It wasn't very thoughtful of me, was it?"

Ann closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder. "Jack, what do you think happened to him?"

"I don't know." Jack didn't really _want _to know. "But if I were his sister, I would want to find out."

"You don't think she'll go after him?"

"She might."

"Jack, I wish we could help her. That brief instant when I met her, I liked her. She is so much like me. But… going back there…" She shivered again, feeling as if Fate was once again drawing her toward Skull Island.

(LINE)

The docks were quiet that night. Few ships were sailing away, and few were sailing in. It was almost too quiet, ominous, maybe. Captain Englehorn felt a bit anxious. Something was going to happen… He could feel it.

Then, something did.

"Are you the captain of this ship?"

He turned around, and for an instant, thought that he was looking at Ann Darrow. Then he realized that this girl was a bit taller, her hair a bit longer and more reddish in color. "Yes. What is it?" What on earth could this girl want with him?

"Well… perhaps you read in the paper about David Seaborne, about how he disappeared."

Now the captain felt distinctly uncomfortable. He had indeed read the story of the ill-fated archaeologist. Skull Island again… That place haunted him with its memories of death and tragedy. "Yes. I read that. What do you want?"

"I'm Clytie Seaborne. David was--is my brother." Clytie felt awkward and a bit guilty. Surely this man would never return to that place. She had heard it rumored that most of his crew had perished on the island where Kong was discovered. How could she ever ask him to go back? For a moment, she hesitated.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Englehorn said quickly. "Now I must go. My ship is still being repaired from our last voyage. It's almost finished now, and I need to see to it that things are going well." He turned away from her and started toward the gangplank.

David… Clytie knew that she could not abandon him. "Wait!"

The ship's captain turned around, narrowing his piercing blue eyes on her.

"Look, David--David needs help. But… no one wants to help him but me. He's my brother. I love him. He would do the same for me. I was wondering if you might consider taking me to that--that place. You've been there before. You're really the only one qualified to help me." She stopped suddenly, realizing how ridiculous she must sound, rambling on like that.

Englehorn was quiet for a moment, studying her intently. Then he spoke. "Do you have any idea what happened on that island?" His voice was low and intense.

"Yes," Clytie answered quietly.

"Do you have any idea what price I had to pay, what price you're asking me to pay again?"

"Yes," she answered even more quietly.

"I lost most of my crew. My ship was badly damaged. And I had a part in bringing that creature back to this country. Do you have any idea what kind of guilt I suffer?"

"I'm sorry." Clytie looked away from him, not willing to meet his eyes. "I shouldn't have even come."

It was on his lips to reply "no, you shouldn't have," but something stopped him. He stood akimbo and studied her carefully. "After knowing all that you know--since you seem to have a good idea of what happened last time--you would still willingly go?"

She looked up at him, met his eyes, and lifted her chin. "Yes. I would."

Instantly, Englehorn admired her for that. "That is very noble," he said quietly.

"He's my brother," she whispered.

"He's probably dead," the captain said plainly.

"I know. But what if he's not? I would never be able to live with myself if I knew that by sitting back and doing _nothing_, I allowed my brother to suffer." She suddenly realized that the man was reconsidering. His sharp blue eyes, moments ago so cold and hard, were softening. "Think of this--think of this as a chance to make things right, Captain. Going back could--could be a chance for redemption, a chance to end the guilt."

Englehorn was quiet for a moment. He crossed his arms and frowned. Then, abruptly, he gave a sharp laugh. "You are excellent at making speeches, Miss Seaborne. You almost had me convinced." He shook his head. "I cannot do this. I cannot go back."

Clytie felt a sob rising in her throat and fought it down. "You won't go?" she asked, feeling a bit revolted at the squeakiness in her voice.

"No. Nothing could make me go back there." He sighed, feeling a bit guilty at having refused this sweet, strong young woman.

"All right." Her eyes bright with tears she couldn't hold back, Clytie lowered her head. "Good luck with… repairs to your ship. I'm sorry for… everything you've been through. Truly I am." She turned and started to walk away.

Englehorn watched her, feeling like a fool. "Wait! Miss Seaborne!"

She turned around, frowning at him. "What?"

"What will you do now?"

"I'll go by myself if I have to," she said, holding her head high once again. "It would be nice to go with someone who has a little experience, but even if I have to go alone, I'll find a way to get to my brother. I have the latitude and longitude memorized already."

"You can't go to a place like that by yourself," the captain called.

"No one else is volunteering." She took a deep breath. "If I perish, I perish." And with that, she turned around and continued walking. She heard him calling after her, but refused to turn around. If the man wanted to sit around and grieve about the past, then so be it. She'd find someone else to take her. And if not… she'd set out in her own little boat. It wasn't made for long voyages or rescue missions, but she could make some modifications. But darn it if she wasn't disappointed that she wasn't going to be traveling with an experienced, intelligent, good-looking man like Englehorn…

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. "I said turn around!" Captain Englehorn was standing there, gripping her shoulder. Clytie suddenly realized how attracted to him she was. She stared at him for a moment, then caught herself goggling and remembered what was going on.

"Yes, Captain?"

"I'll take you."

Clytie's mouth dropped open, then, suddenly conscious of her own looks, she closed it. "Wh-what?"

"I said I'll take you. Are you deaf, Miss Seaborne?"

She shook her head. "No… just… surprised. You'll take me?"

"Do I have to keep repeating myself with you? Yes. Yes."

Clytie smiled. "Thank-you. You have no idea what this means to me." Impulsively, she stepped closer to him to give him a hug, then caught herself. How on earth would he take that? She wasn't sure she wanted to find out. Instead, she took an awkward step back and offered him her hand. "Again, thank-you."

The captain slid his hand from her shoulder to grasp the hand she held out. He shook it firmly. "You're welcome. Now. We have to start preparing for this rescue mission. We'll need supplies, funding, and a crew crazy enough to do something like this."

Clytie smiled. She had made no mistake in coming to him first.

(LINE)

Jack and Ann were at the theater working on some ideas for Jack's next play when they heard the news.

"Do you think she'd stand like this, or this?" Ann was asking Jack about one of the characters when the door burst open and in walked Preston, Carl Denham's former assistant.

Jack and Ann were surprised. They hadn't seen him since that fateful night almost a year ago.

"Preston!" Ann exclaimed, recovering from her shock before Jack. She leaped nimbly from the stage and walked to meet him. "How good to see you!"

"Did you hear about Clytie Seaborn?" the young man exclaimed.

Jack came up behind his wife. "No. We haven't heard anything new, not since we read about her brother in the paper a few days ago."

"Well, she's mounting a rescue mission. Can you believe it?"

Ann and Jack looked at each other, then back at Preston.

"Well, who's crazy enough to go with her?" Jack asked.

Preston blinked. "Well I am, for one."

"What?" Ann cried.

"I have to go back--to face my fears, maybe to stop the nightmares. I've grown up a lot this past year. So… I volunteered to be a part of the crew," he explained.

_I've had nightmares, too,_ Ann thought. About the island, about her near-death experiences, but especially about the friend who died for her--Kong.

"You mean, other people are actually considering this?" Jack shook his head. "I hope they know what they're getting into."

"Oh, they do, Jack," Preston said solemnly. "It's Captain Englehorn and his crew."

"Oh." Jack was quiet for a moment, remembering. "Well… she couldn't have gotten anyone with more experience." Jack nodded in understanding.

"How did she convince him to ever go back?" Ann asked.

Preston shrugged. "Maybe like me, he feels as if he _has _to go back. But, anyway, I just thought I'd let you know, say good-bye."

Ann and Jack were quiet for a moment.

Then Jack spoke up. "This isn't good-bye, Preston. I'm going with you."

"I thought maybe you would," his friend replied.

"Me, too," Ann said quickly.

"Darling… I don't think--"

"I'm going, Jack," she said firmly, taking his hand and squeezing it. "I have to. I won't let you go without me."


	2. The Talk of the Ship

Chapter Two

As Clytie stood on the deck of the _Venture_, looking at the bustling city in the light of the rising sun, she felt a shiver of anticipation run up her spine. This was it. In only a few days, the rescue party and all their supplies had been gathered. And now, they were leaving New York City to find Clytie's brother.

"Will you miss the city?"

Clytie turned around at the sound of the soft voice. It was Ann Driscoll. "No. Not really." She smiled as the actress came to stand beside her at the railing. "I've never really liked living in the city, although visiting from time to time is quite amusing. I like going to your plays."

"Thank-you." Ann smiled at the girl, feeling instantly that she was a kindred spirit. "I remember meeting you briefly after one of them."

"Yes, I remember that, too."

The ship's horn sounded, and the two women could hear Captain Englehorn giving orders from behind them.

"We're off," Ann said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. She turned to Clytie. "Come on. Let's go to the other side. Somehow, I don't think it will help our nerves any to watch the shore disappear."

"Good idea." Clytie nodded and followed Ann across the deck to the other side of the boat. She leaned over the railing, peering as far as her eyes could see at the horizon. "I love the sea," she remarked. "I always have. I feel so at home on it, so free."

"I can tell," Ann said. "I enjoyed my first voyage on this ship… up until…" She was suddenly quiet, looking down at the railing, her eyes distant.

_It must have been awful for her_, Clytie thought. _All the violence, the horror. And then, once she'd finally bonded with Kong, to have him killed before her eyes. It's a wonder she's not gone mad. _She glanced over her new friend's shoulder to see Jack coming toward them. She smiled crookedly. _Now that must be why she kept her sanity. A man like that to take care of her… She must feel very loved, very lucky…_

As she watched Ann turn and smile at Jack, Clytie felt as if she was missing something huge and all-important in her life.

"Miss Seaborne."

Clytie turned from the scene of Jack and Ann hugging each other to see a small, big-eyed young man looking at her. "Yes?"

"The captain says I'm to show you to your cabin," the young man explained. He seemed a bit nervous.

"All right. Lead the way." She gave him an encouraging smile. "You can call me Clytie."

He visibly relaxed and touched the brim of his hat. "Jimmy. Come on, Miss… Clytie."

Clytie followed Jimmy down below, down a hallway, and into a small cabin, barely large enough for the bed . "Thanks, Jimmy." She frowned, looking around. "Where is my luggage?"

"I'll be bringing it down soon," he explained. He hesitated for a moment, studying her carefully. "Do you like to read?"

Clytie blinked. "Yes. Why?"

"I noticed a couple of books in one of your bags. I was wondering if… maybe you'd let me borrow one."

Clytie nodded. "Of course."

Jimmy once again touched his hat, then turned and walked out of the room.

Clytie smiled to herself. What an odd, interesting little fellow.

Suddenly, the open doorway was occupied by the lean, strong form of Captain Englehorn. "Miss Seaborne. I hope you find your cabin sufficient."

"It's fine," Clytie assured him. She automatically reached to smooth her hair, as she always seemed to do in his presence.

"I know it's a bit small…"

"I'm used to small quarters," Clytie said quickly. "As you may know, Captain, I am a marine biologist. This isn't my first voyage at sea." She winced at the sarcasm in her voice, wishing that she had said the words more gently.

But the captain only smiled that mysterious smile. "I am fully aware of that, Miss Seaborne. In fact, that's why I've come to see you."

Clytie blinked in surprise. "Oh."

"I was hoping you could join me on the bridge. I've heard that you are skilled in cartography and navigation, and I would welcome your help."

Clytie smiled, surprised and flattered. "I'd love to help."

(LINE)

"Clytie seems to be in better spirits," Ann commented to Jack from where the couple stood on the deck. She shaded her eyes to peer up at the bridge. "She's even helping to navigate."

"She's in her element. At sea." Jack looked at his wife with concern. "This is all bringing back some rather… harsh memories for you, isn't it? Same ship, same crew, same old me…"

Ann took his hand. "I'm fine, Jack," she said quickly. Then she sighed and looked out at the sea. By now, there was no land in sight. "Though… I don't think things will be the same without him.. Without Kong…" For a moment, she was lost in memory, then she shook herself. "But we have to keep moving on, don't we?" She smiled at Jack. "And same old you isn't so bad."

"I'm glad you think that." He wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm worried about Clytie, Jack," Ann said abruptly.

Jack frowned. "Why? You just said she was in better spirits."

Ann pulled back from him slightly so that they could see eye to eye. "I think she may be in over her head." She looked up at the bridge again, frowning worriedly. "The captain is quite taken with her. It's strange that he, of all people, should be so accepting of her."

"Are you suspicious of him?" Jack asked. He knew that his wife had never fully trusted the man after his part in Kong's capture.

Ann shook her head. "That's not it. I don't know." She sighed. "I guess I'm just being paranoid."

Jack smiled wryly. "After the last voyage, who wouldn't be?"

They were joined by Preston, who simply nodded to them, then took his place at the railing, looking out at the sea. For a moment, all three of them were quiet. Then Preston said, "Something's going to happen, isn't it?" He turned to face Ann and Jack. "Just like last time, something is going to happen. Probably something bad."

"At least we're more prepared this time," Ann said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Prepared." Preston shook his head. "I don't think _anything_ could prepare us for this. Going back there. It's crazy." He laughed grimly. "If I didn't feel as if I _have _to go back, I wouldn't be on this ship. And besides, Miss Seaborne deserves to have her brother back." He glanced up at the bridge, frowning. "Does anyone else but me think it strange that she was _invited _on the bridge?"

Jack nodded. "We do."

Preston shrugged. "Well she _is _an experienced sailor. I guess it makes sense. But… The captain just isn't the sort of man to take to strangers so quickly."

"Neither is Clytie," Ann spoke up. "Well, she took to me, and she's polite and all, but… I think she's a bit shy, even reserved, really. I don't think she lets anyone really get to know her unless she trusts them completely."

The three of them looked up at the bridge.

"Do you think she's letting him get to know her?" Jack wondered aloud. "They'd certainly make an odd pair of friends."

At that moment, the two objects of conversation were working in silence. Englehorn was steering the ship, while Clytie was monitoring the instruments and glancing occasionally, almost absently, at the maps. Clytie felt awkward and inexperienced, despite her many sea voyages, and she was trying not to show it. "Uhm… Do you think we should turn a couple of degrees south in, say, ten knots or so?" she asked quietly.

"Speak up," the captain replied, keeping his eyes ahead. "I can't hear you."

"I said, should we turn a couple of degrees south in ten knots… or so…?" she repeated a little more loudly.

"That sounds right."

Clytie sighed quietly, feeling relieved, and went back to watching the instruments.

Suddenly, a tall, slim, black-haired man strode onto the bridge. He took a step back at the sight of Clytie, then stood looking from her to the captain and back again. "Am I being replaced by this enchanting creature, Captain?" he spoke up in a thick Irish brogue.

For the first time, Englehorn turned from the wheel. "This is Miss Seaborne, Mr. Galyon, and no, you are not being replaced." He turned back to the wheel. "She has volunteered to assist us in navigation, and she seems to be quite good at keeping her eyes on the instruments."

Clytie raised her eyebrows at his back. _Volunteered? I was asked! And did I detect a note of sarcasm in that bit about keeping my eyes on the instruments? _"The captain asked me to help," she added quietly, hoping to set the record straight. She shrugged at the handsome Irishman. "I couldn't refuse." She turned back to the instruments. "And these readings are so fascinating, Mr. Galyon. No one has ever invited me to watch their instruments for them before."

Darby Galyon's green eyes were laughing as he turned to the captain.

Englehorn glanced over his shoulder to meet his First Mate's eye, one eyebrow raised, then shook his head.

(LINE)

On toward evening, Clytie sat with Jimmy on the deck. Both of them were reading under one of the ship's lights. Clytie's eyes kept straying from her book to the sunset they were leaving behind. It was if the sun was setting on her past. This voyage, this mission, would change everything, she was sure. If she ever made it back alive, she would be a new woman…

"This is a really depressing poem, Clytie," Jimmy said suddenly, looking up from _The Waste Land._

Clytie turned to smile at him. "It is, I guess. 'We had the experience, but missed the meaning.' Isn't that one of the lines?"

"Yeah, I read that a couple of pages back, I think." Jimmy nodded.

Clytie tilted her head to the side and studied him as he got back to the book. He reminded her so much of David; not as much in looks, really, as in mannerisms and attitude. The poor kid had been through so much on that island. Was David going through such horrors right now? She shook herself from her morbid thoughts and trained her attention back on her book. Just as she was getting back into it, Jimmy spoke again.

"The captain sure does like you."

She looked up and gave a small laugh. "What do you mean?"

"He isn't usually so friendly with strangers like he is to you." Jimmy frowned thoughtfully. "Especially since… you know." His eyes grew sad as he remembered. "None of us have been the same," he said quietly.

"I was just thinking that I won't be when I get back," Clytie agreed, leaving off the "if I get back" part.

"Probably not." Jimmy leaned back against the wall. "But… I'm glad he likes you. The last person we went out there for, Carl Denham… None of us really liked him. I'm glad he didn't come along."

"From what I heard of what happened, I don't think I'd like him much, either," Clytie said.

"Well what do you think of us?" Jimmy asked curiously. "I mean, after all you've heard, and after you've met us…"

"Well, I think I like most of you," she answered cautiously. "Ann and Jack are very nice. So is Preston. And you of course. And Mr. Galyon is quite amusing."

"And the captain? You left him out, which is kinda sad, seeing as he's so friendly to you."

Clytie frowned thoughtfully. She wouldn't exactly call the man's actions toward her friendly, but… for him, she guessed they were. And why was she shy to tell Jimmy what she thought of Englehorn? "Well, he's… Fascinating. Mysterious, even, I'd say. I'd like to get to know him a little better, but I'd be a bit scared to."

"Why would you be scared to?" asked a low, German accent from beside her.

Clytie jumped, barely suppressing a startled scream. She leaped to her feet. "Captain… I didn't know you were there!"

He crossed his arms and peered closely at her for a moment, then glanced at Jimmy. "Jimmy, go take over for Wilson in the crow's nest."

Jimmy nodded quickly. "Yes, sir." He turned with a wave to Clytie and hurried to obey.

"So? I'm waiting for an answer, Miss Seaborne. Why _would _you be scared to get to know me?"

Clytie swallowed. "I don't know," she replied helplessly. _Well _why, _Clytie? Do you even know?_

The captain smiled crookedly. "That will do for now."

Feeling suddenly, unreasonably bold, Clytie asked, "Well, you know what I think of you. What do you think of me?"

Englehorn blinked, uncharacteristically caught off guard. Then, he recovered and said, "I don't know," smiling crookedly once again.

"I guess that will do for now," Clytie replied. Inside she was screaming at herself for her audacity, but applauding herself for her wit.

"Come on, Miss Seaborne. Mr. Wilson and Mr. Galyon are waiting for us on the bridge." He turned to go, expecting her to follow.

Which she did, of course. Waiting for _us…_ Clytie smiled. She suddenly felt as if she belonged.

(A/N: If you're getting impatient with all the drama and dialogue, don't worry. Conflict, complications, and action are forthcoming. And all this is setting up for what is about to happen, getting you involved in the characters and all that good stuff. Please review… kindly, if you will. I'm sure your mother also told you "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Lol.)


	3. Lights in the Dark

Thanks so much for all the encouraging reviews! And for all those who wonder, Clytie is pronounced CLY-TEE, with the emphasis on the first syllable. Rhymes with mighty.

Chapter Three

Jack Driscoll sat on the deck of the _Venture_, watching Ann and Clytie, who were leaning over the railing, looking at the dolphins that swam alongside the ship. The two young women had become fast friends, after only a few days at sea. He had to agree with Ann, though. Despite her gentle, sweet nature, Clytie Seaborne was not the easiest person to get to know. She was, in fact, quite reserved, even with Ann, although she was warming up to her new friend. The writer shook his head. Strange, then, that she and Captain Englehorn got along so well. Neither of them were very friendly. He wondered if they even spoke to each other. Smiling to himself, he imagined the way he would write a scene between Clytie and the captain. It would be comical in its silence…

"Jack! Look! They're jumping!" Ann exclaimed, pointing.

Jack unfolded himself from his seated position and walked to join his wife and Clytie at the rail. "Enjoying yourself, sweetheart?" he asked Ann, putting an arm around her shoulders.

Ann nodded. "I am. Clytie and I seem to be quite talented at… keeping each other's minds from… other things."

Clytie absently nodded her agreement, then turned back to the dolphins. She was glad that Ann had come along. Already, she found herself trusting the actress. And trusting was not something she did so easily. She was naturally suspicious by nature. She turned to say something to Ann, then realized quickly that Ann and Jack were "having a moment." Quietly, blushing lightly, she started walking towards the bow of the ship, leaving the lovers to their kiss.

_That's what I want_, she thought, sighing. _That kind of companionship. Someone who will just come up behind me, wrap his arms around me, and--_

"Miss Seaborne."

Clytie gasped and turned around, startled, to face the blue eyes of Captain Englehorn. "Captain! Uhm… what is it?" _Didn't I tell him to call me by my first name? _

"I was just going to ask you if you have seen Mr. Wilson recently," the captain said, standing akimbo. He appeared to be worried.

_Wilson… The big, bald guy… _"No. Actually, I haven't seen him since yesterday evening, when we had that meeting." She self-consciously brushed a strand of her wind-whipped golden hair behind her ear.

The captain frowned. "He said he was going to speak with you. That was nearly an hour ago."

Suddenly, movement near the bridge caught Clytie's eye. "There he is. He's going to the bridge," she said, pointing.

Englehorn turned around. "What is he doing?" he muttered. He shook his head. "I'd better get up there." He turned back to Clytie. "I'll send Jimmy for you when I need your help."

"All right." Clytie nodded. "I'll be ready."

The captain gave her a half smile and headed for the bridge.

(LINE)

Darby Galyon, standing at the wheel, looked over his shoulder when he heard someone walk behind him onto the bridge. "Captain? Is that you?"

There was no answer.

"Miss Seaborne?"

Again, nothing.

Darby felt a shiver run up his spine. Had he just imagined the footsteps? "Well who's there?" he called. Once again, there was no answer. "You're just imagining things, Darby, my lad," the First Mate muttered to himself. "It's that wild imagination of yours. You just can't trust it."

"Mr. Galyon."

This time, it _was_ the captain. "Yes, Captain? Was that you a moment ago?"

Captain Englehorn came to stand beside the wheel. "No," he said, frowning. "I think it was Mr. Wilson."

"Wilson? Then why didn't he answer me?"

The captain turned and walked into the section of the bridge where the radio and Morse equipment was. And there was Wilson, bending over some of the controls. "Mr. Wilson. What are you doing?"

The big, bald man spun around. "I was just checking to see if we got any messages, Captain," he said, smiling wryly.

"That's not what we receive messages with, Wilson," Englehorn replied, pointing to the equipment Wilson was touching. "That's what we _send _messages with." He frowned at his crewman, suddenly suspicious. What was Wilson up to, and why was he wearing that secretive smile? "And it looks as if we haven't received any messages. That's Mr. Robbins' job, anyway."

"Sorry, sir. I was just… trying to help." Wilson looked anything but sorry.

Englehorn jerked his head toward the door. "Go help with the engines."

Wilson nodded and hurried past the captain.

"Mr. Galyon," the captain called.

"Yes, sir?"

"Let's keep a close eye on Mr. Wilson and see what he's up to."

"Yes, sir. Good idea, sir," Darby agreed. He muttered to himself, "I never liked him anyway."

(LINE)

Clytie ate lunch in the cramped galley with Jack, Ann, and Preston. The cook, a dark little man named Hofstetter, served them the same thing that everyone seemed to get--porridge. Clytie took her bowl and sat beside Ann and across from Preston at the table. She said a silent prayer over her meal, then started eating quietly.

"So… has everyone been having a good trip?" Jack spoke up, hoping to dispel the awkward silence.

"I have," Ann replied.

"Me, too," Clytie added.

"If it wasn't for the fact that we are headed for imminent doom, I'd say I'd be enjoying it much more," Preston said cheerfully.

Clytie raised an eyebrow at him. There was something about him that she liked, and she found him amusing. "Imminent doom, eh? Well… I guess we might be headed that way, but… Hopefully, we'll manage to avoid the doom and find my brother instead."

"Hear, hear." Preston raised his spoon to her.

"So… tell us about your brother," Ann said. "What is he like?"

"He's a few years younger than me and as adventurous as I am. That's about all we have in common. He looks nothing like me and acts nothing like me. He's very outgoing, friendly… Everyone loves him."

"Ann thinks you have the same eyebrows," Jack spoke up.

Clytie laughed lightly. "I guess we do."

"And we do all love you, by the way," Preston added, smiling.

"Why thank-you." Clytie once again experienced that feeling of belonging. "I guess David and I have more in common than I thought…"

(LINE)

"I'm glad you and Miss Seaborne get along so well, Captain," Darby said from his place at the wheel.

Englehorn looked up from his maps for a moment, but said nothing.

"Why is it, if you don't mind me asking, sir? Why do you like her so much?" Darby persisted.

"She doesn't talk too much for one thing," the captain said sharply.

Darby cleared his throat and was silent, not expecting the captain to elaborate.

"And her presence is… soothing," Englehorn added quietly.

Darby glanced back at the captain in surprise. "Soothing? Yes, I can see that. She's a gentle sort of girl, shy and quiet and all. But… I'd be thinking there's something strong about her, too, sir. To undertake a voyage like this, you've gotta have guts."

"Yes. I agree. She's a strong woman." Englehorn lit a cigarette and started smoking it. "And a quiet one, Mr. Galyon," he added pointedly.

"Yes, sir," Darby agreed.

For a while, they worked in silence, then, abruptly, the captain spoke. "Miss Seaborne is a very perceptive young woman, wouldn't you say, Mr. Galyon?"

Darby was enjoying this. "I'd say so, Captain. Very intelligent. She _is _a marine biologist, after all."

"Two degrees to port, Galyon," the captain ordered.

"Aye, sir," Darby replied, swiftly obeying.

"Yes, she's a smart girl. It's strange that she even considered going on a voyage like this." Englehorn straightened, a distant look in his blue eyes. "She must care for her brother very deeply."

"I'd say so," said Darby. "I never cared much for my brothers like that. If one of mine was trapped on some godforsaken island, I'd say 'leave him.'"

The captain walked to the window and looked down at the deck. Clytie was strolling around with Ann, dressed in a mint green dress, her hair caught back in a loose bun. "She's a girl who would care very deeply," he said quietly. "And that is why I fear for her."

Suddenly, Jimmy burst onto the bridge. "Captain! There are lights behind us."

Englehorn quickly ground out his cigarette in his ashtray and hurried to follow Jimmy outside, calling to Darby, "Keep it steady, Galyon."

"Look there!" Jimmy exclaimed, pointing.

The captain peered into the growing darkness. And indeed, there were lights, tiny pinpricks of white against the blackness of the night sky. Englehorn cursed. "Someone's following us."

"What does it mean, sir?" Jimmy asked quietly, sounding nervous.

"I don't know," the captain sighed. "Go get Miss Seaborne. Tell her I need to see her."


	4. Tensions Rising

Chapter Four

"Clytie?"

Clytie turned around to see Jimmy standing behind her. "Yes, Jimmy?" Her heartbeat sped up in anticipation. Did the captain have need of her?

"Captain says he needs you," Jimmy said. "Come on."

"All right." She turned to Ann. "Excuse me, Ann. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Ann studied the girl for a moment. "Good-night, Clytie," she said finally, softly. "Enjoy your evening."

Clytie turned and followed Jimmy to the bridge. "Have you read any more of the book?"

"I just finished it," Jimmy said, smiling back at her. "It was really good. I think Eliot was just describing the sadness of the world we live in, wasn't he, Clytie?"

"Yes. I think you're right, Jimmy." She smiled wryly, thinking what a sad world it had been for the young sailor she was following. And what a sad world it could turn out to be for her if the mission failed, if all was lost, if…

"Miss Seaborne. Come with me." Once again, Englehorn interrupted her thoughts. This time, something in his voice made Clytie afraid.

"What is it, Captain?" she asked, following him to the back outside of the bridge.

"Look there." He pointed.

Clytie peered through the dark, shading her eyes from the _Venture_'s lights. Then, she saw the lights in the distance. "Oh Lord. We're being followed, aren't we?"

Englehorn crossed his arms and frowned at her. "Now why would you say that?"

Clytie looked up at him, green eyes wide. "I don't know. It's just a feeling, I guess. Or maybe I'm just paranoid." She frowned. "Why would someone follow us, anyway?" She looked back at the lights in the dark, then at Englehorn again. "Captain… What is going on?"

"So you don't know?"

"No. I don't." She shook her head slowly.

"I thought maybe you'd… lost confidence in me, in my crew… And perhaps that you'd sent for more help." He glanced at the lights, then back at Clytie, his face a study of seriousness. "That wouldn't be it, would it, Clytie?"

"No. It wouldn't," she answered firmly. _So I'm Clytie now, am I? _

"Captain, I don't think Clytie would--" started Jimmy from behind them.

"Jimmy, go see to the other passengers." Englehorn cut him off impatiently.

"Yes, sir." Jimmy gave Clytie an encouraging smile before heading off to follow orders.

The captain turned back to Clytie. "If you did not send for that ship, then who did?"

Clytie felt stricken. To have been trusted--even relied on--all this time, only to be the first one suspected of losing confidence in the man! "Captain Englehorn, I assure you--I had nothing to do with this. Believe me, I have full confidence in you and in your crew to get us to the island and to save my brother. Spending time on this ship has not caused me to lose confidence in any way. If anything, my confidence in you--in all of you-- has grown. I beg you to believe me." She suddenly shut her mouth. _Heavens above, Clytie! One minute, you don't say enough, and the next, you won't shut up!_

The captain studied her for a moment. She looked like a Grecian goddess--blonde hair coming loose from her bun, mint-green dress whipping around her feminine curves in the wind, green eyes alive with some inner fire. He suddenly got an urge to grab her and kiss her. It made him smile to think of it.

"What?" she snapped. "What's so funny?"

Englehorn laughed. "You, Miss Seaborne. And yet…" He sobered quite suddenly. "You're not very funny at all."

Clytie caught her breath at the tone of his voice. Something about it made her heart race.

"Miss Seaborne…" He took a step toward her.

"It's Clytie." She stood frozen to the deck, her green eyes locked with his blue ones.

"Clytie." He smiled crookedly and stepped even closer, raising a hand to touch her face…

"Captain Englehorne," came an Irish brogue from behind them.

The captain dropped his hand and winced. Clytie looked down quickly, blushing.

"What is it, Mr. Galyon?" Englehorn asked, sighing in frustration.

"That ship out there just sent us a message," said Darby.

(LINE)

Ann and Jack laid in their bunk, Ann leaning against Jack, his arms wrapped around her.

"We're much closer now," Ann said quietly. It was all coming back so fast…

Jack said nothing, holding her more tightly. He knew that this was going to be hard for her. It would be for him as well, but especially for her.

"What will we do without…" Ann sighed. "I would never have survived without Kong. He protected me from those creatures. Without him, we're lost, Jack."

Jack had had similar misgivings, but he knew better than to voice them. "Sweetheart, we'll be all right. Don't think about it. Everything will turn out how it's supposed to."

Ann turned to face him. "Jack… That's just it. This is all supposed to happen, just like I was supposed to go to the island the first time. I don't know how, but we are all drawn to it again. And this time, Clytie and her brother are a part of it."

Jack was about to reply, when there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Jack called.

"It's Jimmy, Mr. Driscoll. I think you need to get out here." He sounded excited, nervous maybe.

"All right. Give us a minute." Jack and Ann quickly stood and slipped on their robes and shoes. Jack opened the door, and there stood a wide-eyed, fidgety Jimmy. "What is it, Jimmy?"

"We're being followed by another ship," Jimmy explained quickly. He led the Driscolls out onto the deck. "And you will never guess who is on it."

Jack and Ann exchanged worried glances and followed Jimmy to where the captain, Clytie, Preston, and Darby stood at the stern of the _Venture._

"Captain, what is going on?" Ann asked.

Englehorn turned to face the Driscolls and Jimmy, his lips pressed tightly together. "It's Carl Denham. He's on that ship. And he wants to join our expedition."

"You didn't say yes, did you?" Jack asked.

"Of course not." Englehorn frowned. "But he's coming anyway. He's not the only one on that ship. Jake Atkins is with him. And I'm sure that you know that he is the one funding this rescue mission."

There was a stunned silence.

Clytie bit her lip. She couldn't believe that Jake would undermine her authority like this! This was _her _mission! He had agreed to help her, not to take over--and certainly not to bring Carl Denham along. Clytie crossed her arms. "I'm sorry… all of you… I know that none of you are very… fond of Denham."

"It's not your fault, Clytie," Preston said soothingly. "You didn't ask him to come."

"But who did?" Englehorn asked. "Someone had to have given him our position."

Everyone was quiet.

"I don't think that any of us standing here would have done that, Captain," Jimmy spoke up.

Englehorn glanced at Clytie, remembering their last conversation. He was sure that it wasn't her.

Clytie noticed him watching her and gave him a worried smile.

"Well how do we know it's not you, Captain?" Ann spoke up, crossing her arms.

"Ann…" Jack cautioned.

Ann ignored him. "You _did _cooperate rather much with Mr. Denham on our last voyage."

Englehorn put his hands on his hips. "That was the last voyage, Mrs. Driscoll. And I learned my lesson. Cooperating with him was a mistake. You can be assured that I will not do it again."

"What about you three?" Darby asked, pointing to Ann, Jack, and Preston. "Didn't the three of you work with this guy? Isn't that the whole reason this ship went out there--to shoot his film that you were all three involved in making? Couldn't one of you have sent that message?"

"I don't want anything to do with Carl," Jack protested.

"Yeah, why would _we _mess with him any more?" Preston added. "Look what happened last time!"

"I agree with Preston," the captain said. "Seeing how nothing turned out right last time, all of us who had dealings with Carl Denham have no motivation to contact him ever again." He flicked a cigarette out into the ocean. "Enough of this. We don't need to be arguing amongst ourselves. We have a mission."

"The captain's right," Jimmy agreed. "All of us who were on the island before lost friends there--mostly because of Mr. Denham. None of us have a reason to want him on board this ship."

"Then who does?" Clytie spoke up. She felt shaken by all the tension in the air. This conflict between those she called her friends was disturbing her deeply. She glanced at Darby for a moment. He was the only one besides her who had not experienced Carl Denham before… But, no. Not Darby. He was such a nice man…

"Wilson," Englehorn said suddenly, his voice almost a growl. "He was messing with the equipment yesterday." He turned to Jimmy. "Jimmy, go get Mr. Wilson. Whatever he's doing, take over for him."

"Yes, sir." Jimmy nodded and hurried to obey.

At first, the others waited silently, all lost in their own tragic memories. Then, Ann spoke. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I was the one who started that argument."

"It's all right, lass," Darby said brightly. "We all jumped in rather eagerly."

"All but Miss Seaborne here, who seems to keep calm rather admirably," Englehorn remarked.

Clytie gave him a grateful smile.

"I think we're all just tired and worried," Preston said. "This isn't a vacation we're on. And it's not going to get any easier."

They were all quiet again, and soon, Jimmy returned, followed by the hulking form of Mr. Wilson.


	5. Not a Good Chess Player

Chapter Five

Everyone watched nervously, backing away a bit as Wilson stood before the captain. There was something dangerous in the man, something reckless. If he knew that he had been caught, he was not showing it.

Clytie prayed silently. Something was about to happen. And she hoped that no one got hurt.

"So… Mr. Wilson, what do you have to say for yourself?" Englehorn asked his crewman.

Wilson shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know what you're talking about, Captain."

"I'm talking about _that_, Mr. Wilson." The captain pointed to the lights behind the _Venture_. "How do you explain the fact that we are being followed by a ship bearing Carl Denham and Jake Atkins?"

Wilson worked his jaw. "I _don't_ explain it, _sir_."

Clytie could see that he was growing angry. Was it possible that he was an innocent man, angry to be falsely accused? He noticed her studying him and gave her a lazy grin before turning back to the captain.

"Stop leering at Miss Seaborne and explain to me why you were using the wireless yesterday," Englehorn snapped.

"She's a very pretty girl, Captain," Wilson said, grinning.

Clytie fancied that he looked like a jack-o-lantern--bald, big, and grinning wickedly.

"That's beside the point, Wilson. Answer me." The captain was obviously growing impatient.

Clytie saw through her peripheral vision that Preston and Jimmy were moving closer to her. Did they sense the danger as well?

"Very pretty. Have you asked her to your cabin yet?"

For a moment, Clytie was sure the captain was going to go for his pistol. Her throat tightened.

Instead, he stepped forward and grabbed the bigger man by the collar. "You are out of line, Wilson," he snapped. "One more comment like that and I am throwing you overboard. Now answer my question… Did you or did you not send a transmission to that ship, giving them our location?"

There was a moment of tense silence. Jack moved behind Englehorn to back him up if need be. Ann and Clytie moved closer together, flanked by Preston, Jimmy, and Darby.

Wilson's grin broadened. "I did, little Captain," he replied. "I was paid well. You, of all people, should know what it's like to compromise for a little cash."

Englehorn glared at him, momentarily tightening his hold on the larger man's collar. Then, he released him. "Mr. Darby, Jimmy--take this man to one of the cages in the hold. You might want to keep some weapons drawn. If he tries to get away… shoot him."

Darby and Jimmy nodded and quickly flanked Wilson, who was still smiling. Darby drew his pistol and prodded the big man with it. "Let's go, Mr. Wilson," he said.

As they walked by Clytie, Jimmy asked, "Are you okay, Clytie?"

She nodded quickly. "Fine. Thanks, Jimmy." She gave him a weak smile as he walked off with Darby and Wilson.

Ann reached to loop her arm through Clytie's. "Are you all right?" she whispered. "You look pale."

Clytie sighed. "I'm just… a bit shaken, I think." She glanced at the captain. He was standing at the rail, looking out at the lights behind them. She had been so worried that Wilson would fight back. And those things that the big man had said…

"Clytie, would you like to play a game of chess with me?" Preston spoke up.

Clytie smiled at him. "I'd love to. I don't think I could sleep now, anyway."

"I don't think that any of us can," Jack said. "Let's go to the galley and play some board games. That might get our minds off of things." He took his wife's hand, and the four of them started toward the galley.

Clytie trailed behind Preston, still disturbed at what had just happened.

"I apologize for Mr. Wilson's actions, Miss Seaborne," Englehorn said, falling into step beside her. His hand still hovered over the holster at his hip, as if he were still ready for a fight.

"It's not your fault," Clytie said, giving him a reassuring smile.

"But I take full responsibility," the captain replied. "He _is _one of my crew."

Clytie sighed. "I'm not going to be angry with you.--even if, for some odd reason, you want me to be." _Dang it! I've done it again! I go from all silent and pitiful to blurting out the first thing that comes to mind in five seconds!_

Englehorn laughed quietly. "You are a fascinating person, Miss Seaborne."

"Clytie."

"Clytie." His blue eyes were laughing. "Your insight is stunning."

She smiled almost shyly at him. "Thank-you. And you are a very responsible person, Captain Englehorn. Your maturity is stunning."

"Thank-you." He almost opened his mouth to tell her to call him by his first name, but something stopped him. He pressed his lips together, then said, "Have fun playing chess, Miss Seaborne, but be ready if I need you to help me."

"I'll be ready and waiting, Captain," she replied.

Then he stood there and watched her walk off with the others.

(LINE)

"You haven't played this game much before, have you?" Preston asked, raising an eyebrow at Clytie across the table.

"No," Clytie laughed. "In fact, I barely know the rules. Jake and David used to play all the time back home, but… I was always too busy doing something else."

"Like what?" Preston asked, moving his knight into position. He glanced furtively at the board. In a few more moves, he'd have her queen.

"Well… marine biologist stuff. You know. Studying fish and all that." Clytie looked down at the board, frowning in confusion. "Am I missing a pawn?"

Preston smiled and held it up. "I got it on my last turn."

"Oh…" Clytie shook her head. "You're going to win." She randomly chose a piece and moved it, not even sure if it was supposed to move like that.

"What other stuff do you do?"

"I love to read. I read all the time." _If he keeps winning, that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to snatch T.S. Eliot back from Jimmy and read it…_

"I thought maybe you did. I saw you and Jimmy reading on the deck the other day." _Ha! One more move, and the queen is mine! _"So? Tell me more about yourself."

"I like going to movies and plays." She turned to smile at Jack and Ann, who were engaged in a fierce game of checkers. _Checkers is so much easier than this! _She absently moved her bishop, smiling. "I especially like going to plays when there are handsome actors in them."

_Great. I've got her talking about men. Now she's _really _not going to notice this. _Preston moved in on the queen. "Do you like Bruce Baxter movies?" he asked dryly.

Clytie remembered that he had been on the first voyage to Skull Island as well. "He's attractive, I suppose," she commented. "But he seems as if he would be a very… self-centered person."

"Oh, he is."

Clytie glanced down at the board. "Where is my queen?"

Preston grinned.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Clytie laughed. "Well, I guess it's working."

"I don't think we've ever heard you talk so much at one time," Jack spoke up, grinning.

"It's because I'm nervous and tired and tense," Clytie explained. "I always talk too much when I'm like that."

"Keep going," Preston said. _King, here I come. _"So… let's talk about men, Miss Seaborne. What kind _do _you like?"

Abruptly, the handsome face and form of Captain Englehorn came to her mind, but she pushed it away. "Strong men," she said quickly. "Men with passion and life and depth. I can't stand a shallow man. It helps if a man is intelligent, too." Her green eyes defocused. "I just want one man. I've always been like that. It's my dream, really--to get married and start a family."

"Clytie, I just beat you," Preston said, grinning.

"Again?" She laughed. "Jack, Ann--would you like this chess board? I think Preston and I are going to play checkers."

(LINE)

"Clytie certainly isn't very good at chess," Ann remarked to Jack and Preston as the three of them walked down the hall. They all laughed.

"No, but she's a killer at checkers," said Preston. "She actually beat me twice."

"Which is more than Ann can say." Jack smiled slyly. "She never beat me."

Ann slapped his arm playfully, the Jack bent to kiss her on the nose.

Watching them, Preston thought, _This is what Clytie wants--a relationship like this, one that's real and full of love. _For a moment, he wondered if it could be him, that he was the one for Clytie Seaborne. Then he shook his head. No, not him, not her. Her description of what she wanted repeated itself in his mind as he walked into his cabin. Did he know a man like that? If so… then he would have to help Miss Seaborne get the man of her dreams.

(LINE)

Clytie felt rather odd as she dressed in her nightgown that night. Had she revealed too much of herself tonight? She always talked too much when she was nervous. Other than that, she didn't talk much at all, so her new friends were probably not sure what to think of her talkativeness. And yes, she had been very nervous. The scene on the deck had startled and shaken her, not so much in its potential violence as in what it had revealed--about the captain, about Wilson, about Clytie herself…

She curled up on her bunk and pulled the thin blanket up to her chin, feeling as if she were in over her head. Everyone thought she was so strong, so capable. But right now, she felt insignificant, very young and very alone. She was letting such a little thing get to her! A little emotional matter…

"Don't cry, you idiot," she whispered to herself in the dark.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Clytie frowned. Who on earth could it be? "Who is it?" she called.

"It's Jimmy, Clytie," came the young sailor's voice. "The captain said you wouldn't be asleep."

"I'm not. What is it?" _How did he know I wouldn't be asleep? Does that man know everything?_

"He for me to check on you… that you might be upset." Jimmy paused. When Clytie didn't answer, he asked, "_Are _you upset?"

Clytie sighed. What was she to say? If she admitted that she was upset, she would demonstrate her weakness, and Englehorn would think that violence upset her (which wasn't really the case), but she didn't feel like lying… "I am a bit upset, Jimmy, but I'll be all right."

"Okay. Well… if you need anyone to talk to… I'll be out on the deck."

Clytie smiled. "Thanks for the offer. If I can't sleep, I might take you up on that."

(LINE)

Jimmy turned around and smiled as Clytie joined him at the railing. "I figured you'd be out here sooner or later."

Clytie gave him a sheepish smile and wrapped her pale blue robe closer around her shoulders. "I can't sleep. Everything's got me worried…" She was quiet for a moment, leaning over the rail, looking out at the reflection of the half moon on the water. Then she glanced up at the bridge. "Jimmy, what's the captain going to do about Mr. Denham and Jake? Is he going to let them join us?"

"I don't see how he can refuse," Jimmy said grimly. "Mr. Atkins _is _sponsoring this mission. He's the one with all the say-so."

"Maybe I can talk sense into him," Clytie suggested. "He's my godfather, after all." She sighed. "I don't understand. Doesn't he trust me?" She smacked her palm against the rail in frustration, wincing when it hurt.

"Calm down, Clytie." Jimmy reached and tentatively patted her shoulder. "He'll probably listen to you. I'm sure he will."

Clytie smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Jimmy. I appreciate it." Then she turned to once again stare out at the waves.

The two were silent for a long time.

Then Jimmy said, "I saw you playing chess with Preston."

"Yeah, he slaughtered me," Clytie laughed. "I must admit, I'm not the chess expert. And Preston distracted me with conversation."

"What did you talk about?" Jimmy asked curiously.

"Reading and movies and men… Stuff like that…" Clytie smiled. "He and the Driscolls probably think I'm crazy now, after hearing me blabber like I did."

Jimmy tilted his head to one side and studied her. "I think I'd like to hear you talk about those things."

"You would?" Clytie playfully shoved his shoulder. "You're just being nice."

"No, I'm not," Jimmy protested with a laugh. "I'm not. I like you a lot, Clytie."

Clytie suddenly realized that he meant it--and how much he _did _like her. "Jimmy--" she started, but he interrupted her.

"Clytie… you wouldn't… consider… going out with me… would you?" Jimmy asked, looking down at the deck.

Clytie's eyes went wide. "Uhm… Where would we go?" she joked nervously. "We're kinda stuck at sea."

Jimmy frowned. "That's not funny."

"I'm sorry… Uhm, Jimmy? I… you're like a brother to me. You remind me of David." She bit her lip, feeling horrible. "I think it would be best if we were… just friends. Okay?" _Please, God… Don't let this ruin things between us! It's not that I don't like him… it's just… not right, not meant to be…_

Jimmy was quiet for a moment, not meeting her eyes, and Clytie felt horrible. Then he looked at her and smiled, "Yeah. That's fine. I think… we make good friends." He laughed. "But if you ever reconsider and just _have _to have a boyfriend, you know where to find me."

"All right, Jimmy. Sounds like a plan." Clytie sighed in relief.


	6. Clashes and Unclashes

Chapter Six

"Here goes nothing," Jack muttered under his breath as he immerged onto the deck behind his wife. Today, Carl Denham would be once again boarding this ship. The writer blinked as the bright sunshine stabbed into his eyes. He looked around the deck and quickly spotted Captain Englehorn and Jimmy standing by the railing. Close by was Clytie, dressed in a flattering white dress. She was watching the captain, as she seemed to do often these days.

Ann and Jack joined the little group with a few brief "good mornings," then followed the eyes of the others. A smaller, sleeker ship than the _Venture _was pulling up alongside of it. And on board that ship, standing in clear view, was Carl Denham.

From the deck of the _Venture_, Clytie studied Denham carefully. He was a short, round little man with an arrogant smirk that she didn't much like.

"Here's a piece of advice, Clytie," said a voice from behind her. "Don't listen to anything that man tries to tell you."

Clytie turned around. "Preston. Did you sleep well?"

He smiled wryly. "Did any of us?"

Clytie looked around at the rest of the little company. Jimmy was nervously moving his hands on the rail. Englehorn was smoking his second cigarette. Jack had his arm possessively around Ann's shoulders. Ann looked pale. "I don't think so," Clytie replied. She moved aside a bit so Preston could join her at the rail. Briefly, she glanced around him at the captain, who looked rather worried, which worried Clytie, of course.

"Blocking your view?" Preston asked archly.

Clytie raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Her friend smiled. "You know what I mean."

Clytie resisted the urge to playfully stick her tongue out at him. Instead, she sighed and shook her head. "Is it obvious that I'm attracted to him?" she whispered.

"To me, it's swiftly becoming that way," Preston replied quietly. "I don't know if anyone else realizes it yet."

"I think Darby does," Clytie said. "You know, Mr. Galyon, the First Mate."

"He seems to be pretty sharp," Preston agreed. "But so is the captain. And I don't think he quite gets it yet."

Clytie was silent. She certainly wasn't going to tell Preston about that time on the bridge when she and the captain had been standing so close, and he had even reached out to touch her…

"I think Jimmy is quite fond of you, as well," Preston said, shading his eyes to look at the young sailor.

"He is," Clytie agreed, thinking of last night.

Soon, a gangplank had been set up between the two ships, and three men from the other ship boarded the _Venture. _The little group clustered at the rail stepped back to let them board. Clytie instantly recognized the two men accompanying Carl Denham--Jake Atkins, her godfather, and Bruce Baxter, the actor. For a moment, the three men just stood there.

Then Carl raised his arms. "What? No 'welcome aboard?' I should think you'd all be happy to see me. After all we've been through together."

Englehorn momentarily considered flicking his cigarette at Denham, but opted for the ocean instead. "Jimmy will show you to your cabins, gentlemen," he said shortly. Then he turned and walked toward the bridge.

Clytie wanted to follow him, to escape the confrontation with Jake that she knew was forthcoming. She imagined herself running after the captain and screaming, "Take me with you! Don't let that man near me!" Then she turned to her godfather, making her face expressionless. David had always told her that she had the perfect poker face--the Ice Queen, he called it.

"Clytie!" Jake rushed to his goddaughter. "How have you been? You haven't been mistreated, have you?"

Clytie frowned at him. "No. What gave you that idea?"

Jake glanced back at Carl, who was following Jimmy across the deck while Ann, Jack, and Preston glared at his retreating form. Clytie added her glare. "What did that man tell you?" she hissed.

Jake sighed. "It doesn't matter now, Clytie. I'm just glad that you're safe."

"Of course I'm safe," Clytie replied sharply. She was frustrated with everything that was going on. "What are you doing here? Don't you trust me?"

"Mr. Denham was on the last voyage, as was Mr. Baxter. They felt bad at not being invited, so they came to me. And frankly, Clytie, I don't trust the people you were alone out here with." Jake sighed again and wiped at the sweat on his brow.

"Yes, Mr. Denham was on the last voyage," Clytie said slowly, trying to remain calm. "Don't you remember what happened? That man set off a chain of events leading to the deaths of many people. Heck, he was in jail for awhile for all that! He's unreliable and, according to what I've heard, something of a people user." She glanced behind Jake's tall, thin form at where the other ship was drawing in the gangplank. Too late to make Jake go back.

"According to what you heard." Jake shook his head. "Clytie, you've only heard this from the people aboard this ship--that writer and his actress wife and that captain and his crew. How do you know you can trust them? And weren't they cooperating with Denham last time, anyway?"

Clytie pressed her lips together and put her hands on her hips. "Jake, these people have been nothing but good to me. I trust them with my life. If I didn't, why would I be out here with them? I trust them with David's life as well. Have you forgotten that this isn't about Mr. Denham being left out--this is about David!" She struggled to keep her voice under control.

"You may trust these people to save your brother, but I don't," Jake answered, his voice loaded with irritation and impatience.

"You don't trust me either, do you?" Clytie asked quietly, feeling suddenly sad. "Is that why you sent Wilson… to spy on me?"

"Wilson was Denham's idea," Jake protested.

"But you went along with him, didn't you?" Clytie shook her head. "I think by now people should realize that going along with Carl Denham isn't the right thing to do--you of all people, Jake." She quickly turned away from him and started for the ladder, eager to escape to her little cabin and be alone. She was stopped by Darby Galyon's hand on her arm.

"Miss Seaborne." His voice was low and gently. Obviously, he had seen some of her heated conversation with her godfather.

"Yes, Darby?" She tried not to meet his eyes, hoping that he would not see the tears shining in them.

"The captain wants you on the bridge," Darby said.

"What does he need me for?" Clytie asked. She felt a sense of dread at the possibility of the captain seeing her so emotionally shaken.

"Something about planning the rescue operation, I believe." Darby gave her an encouraging smile. "Just let us know if that Atkins fellow is bothering you, and the captain and I will chunk him overboard."

"I'll consider it." Clytie laughed weakly, wiping at her eyes. She looked up at the tall Irish man. "Do you think less of me now that you've seen me cry over something stupid like that?"

"No, lass." Darby winked. "And the captain won't, either."

Clytie smiled at him. "Thank-you for being so nice to me, Darby," she whispered.

"My pleasure, Miss Clytie," he replied brightly. "You remind me a bit of my lady back home."

(LINE)

"So Ann, Jack… how's the world been treatin' ya?" Carl asked them as he swaggered into the galley for lunch. His query was met by glares.

"How's jail been treating _you_, Mr. Denham?" Jimmy asked, coming up behind him.

Ann giggled.

"Let's put the past behind us," Carl said quickly. He took a plate of porridge from Hofstetter, who glared at him. Obviously, the new cook had ideas about who was responsible for the death of the old one.

"Carl, why don't you just let us eat our lunch in peace?" Jack spoke up.

"Yeah, _Carl_. There's an empty table in the corner over there." Jimmy motioned to the corner and sat down beside Jack.

"What is the world coming to?" Carl muttered quite audibly, going to the corner. "Cabin boys get to eat with the passengers and their own friends aren't allowed to."

"Who said you were our friend?" Preston asked, coming into the galley. He got his plate and sat beside Ann, across from Jimmy.

It was an awkward, quiet meal for the rest of the hour, interrupted only by Bruce Baxter's entry into the galley. He quickly picked up on the tension in the air and wisely took his food and sat at his own table.

After the meal, Carl and Bruce quickly retreated to their own rooms, leaving the other four together.

"I really can't stand that man," Ann said quietly. "He doesn't care. He's not at all sorry for what he did. Not like the rest of us…" She shuddered. "I can't believe I ever went anywhere with him."

"Ann, if you hadn't… you wouldn't have met me." Jack reached across the table to squeeze her hand.

"That's true. I guess things always work out for the best…" Ann's voice trailed off as she thought, _But not for you, Kong. I miss you, dear friend. How are we ever going to survive without you?_

(LINE)

For awhile, Clytie and the captain talked about the rescue mission--how to get through the fog ("You be my eyes when we get there, Clytie," the captain said.), what to carry ashore ("Weapons," said Englehorn. "Especially machine guns," said Clytie, which made him smile.), how many parties to make ("We certainly won't split up Ann and Jack," Clytie said.), and other such concerns. The captain was impressed with Clytie's foresight. She was a creative thinker and brought up many points that he would have missed. After discussing the rescue mission, the two of them settled into their usual routine on the bridge.

The silence was stifling, interrupted once by Robbins coming in to check the wireless, then quickly leaving. Clytie finally decided that it was time to break the silence. So she spoke. "I'm sorry about Jake doing that… bringing Carl."

Englehorn glanced back at her. "So am I," he said. He turned back to the wheel.

Clytie sighed in frustration. Some talent _she _was at starting conversation. "I can't believe he undermined me like that… and you, too. He said that I shouldn't trust you--or anyone else aboard this ship for that matter. He was actually worried that I might be harmed."

"Hmph. That's ridiculous."

_And…? _Clytie dug her nails into the wood of the table where she was standing. Well, if he didn't want to talk, she wasn't going to bother him. She turned back to the map that she had been studying. It was a roughly drawn sketch of the explored parts of the island, compiled by its survivors. Looking at it now gave Clytie chills. She traced its lines absently, wondering where on the island her brother was. She refused to think that he might be nowhere, might be dead… _Please, God, not dead… Not David…_

Englehorn turned to study her inconspicuously. She was moving her hands on the maps. Those hands were always moving, he noticed. If you watched her hands, you could tell what she was feeling… Her eyes, those deep green orbs, hid much. So you had to watch her ever-moving hands…For the first time, today, her eyes had told him something. As soon as she had stepped on the bridge, he could tell that she had been crying. But he had said nothing, not wanting to embarrass her. He shook himself and turned back to the horizon. It wouldn't be long now before they would reach that dreadful fog…

"It's not long now, is it?" Clytie spoke up.

He glanced at her. She had turned from the maps and was watching him, clasping and unclasping her hands. "Does it worry you?" he asked.

Clytie considered momentarily lying and saying "no," but she knew that his blue eyes missed little. "Yes," she said quietly, her voice breathy and small. "It does, a bit. This whole mission seems like… I don't know… A shot in the dark…" _How original, Clytie, you dummy._

"It does indeed, Miss Seaborne." Englehorn turned back to the wheel.

Clytie frowned at his back. "That was encouraging," she muttered. Then she winced, hoping he hadn't heard her.

"It is a shot in the dark, as you say, but that is why those with the best aim are on this mission," he added.

Clytie smiled. _Nice recovery, Captain_. "Certainly," she said, turning back to the maps.

"Slow us down a bit, Clytie. It gets a bit rough through here," the captain ordered.

Clytie nodded and hurried to pull the levers at his instruction. After doing so, she started to go back to the maps.

"No. Stay here," he said quickly.

Clytie glanced at him, dark eyebrows raised.

"Your sharp eyes can help me watch the horizon." He paused for a moment, then said quietly, "And I like your company."

Clytie's brows rose even higher. "Th--thank-you," she stammered. She regained her composure and smiled. "I like yours, too."

He laughed quietly. "We're two of a kind, you and I, Miss Seaborne. But different, as well. You can keep me company, and I… I can keep you safe from whoever it is who makes you cry."

A shiver ran up Clytie's spine, disturbing and pleasant at the same time. "All right." She smiled softly. "That sounds fine with me, Captain."

(A/N: The island isn't far away now! There's certainly some action coming up soon. And, naturally, more romance as well. Thanks for all the reviews! You have no clue how much I enjoy a good, encouraging review! And suggestions are always welcome (as long as they don't involve alien abductions or anything far out like that, lol.))


	7. And All of a Sudden

Chapter Seven

As Bruce Baxter walked out of the galley the next morning, he was accosted by Jack Driscoll. "What's all that commotion coming from in there?" Jack asked.

"Your wife and that Seaborne gal are giggling over something," Bruce said, sounding exasperated. "You know women. The silliest things entertain them." He rolled his eyes and strolled across the deck.

Jack raised an eyebrow and entered the galley. He was greeted by the sight of Ann and Clytie laughing hysterically over seemingly nothing. "'Morning, ladies," he said, smiling and sitting beside his wife, who just looked at him and laughed even harder. "What's so funny?"

Ann tried to tell him, but couldn't.

"She--she--" was all Clytie managed, pointing at Ann.

Jack shook his head. "I think I'm going to get some breakfast." He stood up and walked to the counter where Hofstetter stood, taking a bowl of--big surprise--porridge.

As he sat down, Clytie managed to swallow down some of her giggles. "We were imitating people," she explained. "And she just got through imitating Bruce when he walked in and caught us. It was so funny! The look on his face!"

The two women burst into laughter again.

"And then--" Ann broke off to laugh. "And then I started imitating you--and _you_ walked in!"

Jack grinned. "Why don't you show me, Ann? How do you think I act?"

Ann shook her head, her eyes wide.

Jack's grin broadened. He hadn't seen his wife laugh so much in forever. This Clytie Seaborne was good for her. And she seemed to be good for Clytie as well. He had never seen the young marine biologist laugh before.

Breakfast that morning was light and cheerful, punctuated by laughter and joking. But Jack couldn't help but think that these high spirits wouldn't last for long. He knew that they were nearing the island…

(LINE)

"How long now, Captain?" Darby asked from the wheel.

Englehorn glanced away from the instruments. "I'd say we'll reach the fog before sunrise tomorrow." He stood akimbo and shook his head. "I didn't want to go through that at night. Perhaps we should slow down so that we don't hit the fog at night." He nodded, convincing himself. "Yes. That's what we'll do." He proceeded to slow the engines, keeping his eyes on the horizon.

"Good idea, Captain," Darby said. "The thought of that fog gives me the creeps anyhow."

The captain didn't reply as he walked to the window to peer down at the deck. There was Clytie, playing a chess game with Preston. Jimmy hovered nearby, watching, probably waiting to play the winner. The captain smiled. Clytie was laughing, her head thrown back. Her hair was in a loose bun again this morning, and she wore a very flattering blue shirt. He was glad she looked so happy. He trusted Preston and Jimmy to watch out for her… Then, abruptly, that thought bothered him. He wondered suddenly if either of them had thought to kiss her like he had once…

How could they not, spending so much time around her? Suddenly, he felt distinctly uncomfortable about Clytie spending so much time with the two young men… He rubbed his jaw and frowned.

"What's the matter, Captain?" Darby asked from behind him.

He turned around. "Nothing. Carry on, Mr. Galyon." Then he walked out of the bridge.

(LINE)

"You got me again!" Clytie laughed, shaking her head. She was surprised at how little it bothered her to continually lose to Preston. She was usually quite competitive. She supposed it was because Preston was such a nice guy. She glanced at him covertly, wondering what he thought of her. Would he, like Jimmy, ask her to date him? The thought made her a bit nervous.

Preston grinned. "But you're getting better," he remarked. He looked over at Jimmy. "I think I'll let _you _play Jimmy this time. I'll just watch." He moved aside to let Jimmy sit at the chess board.

"I'm not much better than you at this, Clytie," Jimmy said. "Probably worse." A movement behind her caught the young sailor's eye. The captain was settling against the railing, watching the chess game with seeming interest.

"You go first, Jimmy," Clytie said. She had no clue that her audience had grown by one.

"All right." Jimmy looked down at the board and moved a pawn, then glanced at Englehorn. The captain was still just standing there, watching. Jimmy frowned, puzzled. What did he find so interesting in a simple chess game? He looked back at Clytie. "Go ahead."

Clytie tapped her lips with one long, slender forefinger, studying the board.

Jimmy thought she looked so sweet doing that. Then, it hit him. He looked up at the captain. Englehorn was not watching the _game_; he was watching _Clytie._

"Jimmy. Your turn."

It was all becoming quite clear now to Jimmy. He smiled at Clytie. "Better watch out," he said. "I know how to beat you. I've watched Preston do it about fifty times."

Clytie laughed and faked a pout. "You don't have to be so mean."

"I _have _to be!" Jimmy protested laughingly, trying not to think about what he had just realized. "You're a cruel woman when it comes to chess. If I'm not mean, you'll show no mercy."

"True," Clytie admitted with a grin.

The game did not last long. Jimmy was unwillingly distracted by his realization, and Clytie had been taught well by Preston; her skills were growing. Jimmy was soundly beaten.

Clytie held up Jimmy's king in triumph. Jimmy and Preston clapped--and so did Captain Englehorn. Clytie quickly got to her feet and turned around.

"Excellent game, Miss Seaborne," the captain congratulated.

"Thank-you," she replied quietly. Behind her, Preston and Jimmy exchanged glances, but she didn't notice.

"Would you like to come check on the rations with me?" Englehorn asked her. "In less than twenty-four hours, we will reach the island."

"Certainly… Uhm…" She glanced back at Preston and Jimmy.

"Go ahead and finish your tournament," the captain said lightly. "When you're ready, meet me on the bridge." Then he turned and walked away.

Clytie looked at Preston. "Are you ready to play me?" she asked. She hoped that he beat her--and quickly. For some reason, she _really _wanted to check those supplies with the captain.

Preston shook his head. "Nah. Let's call it a day." He smiled at her, then turned to go. "See you later, Clytie."

Clytie turned to Jimmy. "Rematch?"

Jimmy hesitated, then stepped closer to her. "Captain Englehorn watched the whole game."

"Did he?" Clytie asked. She was now very glad that she had won, although she suspected that for some reason, Jimmy had been distracted.

"Yeah." Jimmy nodded, sliding his hands into his pockets. He peered closely at her. "I know why you won't go out with me now."

"Besides the fact that there's nowhere to go?" Clytie laughed.

"Yeah, besides that." Jimmy sighed. "It's him, isn't it? I saw the way you looked at him."

Clytie blinked. "Him…"

"You know who."

_Yes, I know… _"Jimmy… I…"

He held up a hand. "You don't have to say anything. But… Clytie… He's a hard man, not very easy to get to know. His past isn't spotless, and he probably won't volunteer information about it anytime soon." He sighed. "The whole incident on Skull Island… It bothers him, Clytie. And now… He's going back." He studied her closely. "I think it's for you, though he won't admit that."

Clytie swallowed. "You really think that?"

Jimmy nodded. "I do. Clytie, I think he likes you. But don't expect much from him too quickly."

Clytie wasn't sure what to say. "Thank-you, Jimmy." She smiled wryly at him. "I'd best be… helping the captain now."

Jimmy grinned crookedly. "Yeah. That seems to be your job these days."

Her smile broadened, and there was a bounce in her step as she walked away.

Preston came up beside Jimmy. "Jimmy, she's not for us, is she?"

Jimmy shook his head sadly. "Guess not." Then he brightened. "I wonder if she's got any cousins."

(LINE)

Clytie and Englehorn were going over ration distributions in the hold when Carl Denham joined them. They both looked up and frowned at him.

"It's always nice to feel welcome," Carl said.

"What are you doing here, Denham?" the captain asked.

"Just thought I'd… spend some time with you, old friend. You know, for old times' sake."

"When did we become friends?" Englehorn asked.

"Have you forgotten how well rewarded for being my friend last time, Captain?" Carl shot back.

Clytie stood there quietly, feeling very nervous. This conversation could not end well. Knowing what she did of these two men and their past history together, this wasn't a good time to be standing between them. She swallowed and took a step toward Carl. "Uhm, I think I'm going up on the deck…"

Englehorn reached out and caught her shoulder. "No. Stay."

Clytie turned to face him. _Please let me go. I don't like this situation… _"I'm not one of your crew," she answered in a low voice, hoping Carl didn't hear her. "I want some fresh air."

"Please. Stay." His blue eyes were almost pleading, which was so odd to see in him.

Something about that compelled Clytie to acquiesce. "All right," she said softly. She glanced suddenly at his hand on her shoulder.

The captain let his hand drop and turned to Carl. "What do you want, Denham?" he asked. "As you can see, Miss Seaborne and I are busy getting things ready for the island. If you don't have anything better to do down here than chatter, then I suggest you get out."

Carl raised his eyebrows. "I can see that you're busy," he said slyly. "Are you sure it's the supplies that you're so busy with?"

Englehorn worked his jaw. "Get out, Denham."

"Actually, I think I'll stay." Carl started pacing the floor. "Looks like you might need a chaperone down here." He smiled crookedly. "But I guess that's what Wilson's down here for." He glanced over at the cage which contained the sleeping Wilson.

"Not exactly," Clytie spoke up sharply, surprising both men. "He's down here because he worked with _you _to betray this mission."

"That's harsh, Miss Seaborne," Carl protested. "We aren't _betraying _you. We're _helping _you."

"The only person you ever help is yourself, Denham," snapped Englehorn. "Get out."

Suddenly, the ship gave a lurch. Carl was thrown to the floor. Clytie stumbled, and would have fallen if the captain hadn't caught her. For a moment, they froze like that, Clytie held against his chest. Then, they pulled apart.

"What's going on?" Clytie exclaimed. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears--whether from almost falling or for being in Englehorn's arms, she wasn't sure.

"Let's go see." The captain sprang toward the stairs, motioning for Clytie to follow him. And behind her staggered Carl.

The sight that greeted her eyes filled Clytie's heart with dread. The noon sky had darkened--and the _Venture _was headed straight into a thick darkness ahead.

Jimmy ran up to them. "Captain! We're there!"

"I can see that," he snapped. "Go and alert everyone."

Englehorn and Clytie rushed to the bridge. "Why are we already there? We shouldn't be there until tomorrow morning!" the captain cried.

Darby glanced up from the wheel, his bright eyes worried. "I don't know, Captain! I just looked up and there it was! And we hit this rock--it just came up out of nowhere! I don't think there was any damage, but… It gave us a bad jerk. I sent Jimmy to get you…"

Englehorn quickly pulled the levers to stop the ship's engines. Hopefully this time, it wasn't too late…


	8. A Storm and Its Repercussions

Long chapter coming up! So much has to happen! I hope it doesn't make you too impatient!

Chapter Eight

"I knew we were getting close," Ann said quietly. "I could feel it. I still… can… feel it. It's so near now.. The island…"

Jack glanced at her worriedly. The two of them stood on the deck, facing the dark horizon. The ship's engines had stopped, but it was still drifting toward the fog. Jack reached to take Ann's hand. He wasn't sure what to say to make her feel better. As if anything anyone could say would ease her nerves… They were going back to Skull Island, for heaven's sake!

Ann moved closer to her husband. "Are we going to stop in time?"

Jack put his arm around her. "I don't know."

"I thought we weren't supposed to get here until tomorrow," Ann whispered.

"We all did." Jack frowned. "I have a feeling that Wilson has been sabotaging this mission from the beginning. He's probably been messing with the maps and charts and all that."

"But it doesn't make sense!" Ann exclaimed. "He's working for Mr. Atkins! Wouldn't Atkins want the mission to rescue his godson to go smoothly?"

"I think it's Carl that Wilson works for," Jack said angrily.

Suddenly, Carl came up behind them on the deck, wearing a smug smile.

"Proud of yourself, Carl?" Jack asked, motioning to the darkness ahead.

"Because of me, we got here even faster than we hoped to, didn't we?" the shorter man replied. "You should be thanking me."

"We had planned to go through tomorrow morning, and--"

"Let me guess--then you were going to leave this ship and get in the rowboats and row through the rocks to the island and split up to look for David Seaborne."

"That's what we're still going to do, if you don't ruin things," Jack replied. He glanced nervously ahead. The ship was still drifting toward the fog, as if somehow drawn to it.

(LINE)

"We're going to have to reverse the engines and fight the current," Englehorn announced on the bridge, where he stood with Clytie, Darby, and Jimmy.

Darby quickly reversed the engines, and the captain held the wheel steady.

Clytie held her breath, nervously rubbing her fingers together. She wished she could be helping in some way, doing something, anything besides standing here watching.

"Clytie, stand outside the window where I can see and hear you," the captain ordered abruptly. "You may have to be my eyes if I can't get us out in time."

Clytie nodded, glad to be of use, and hurried to her position.

"Jimmy--crow's nest," Englehorn added.

_Just like last time… _Jimmy thought, hurrying to obey.

Darby stared with worry at the darkening horizon. "Captain, I don't think it's just the fog making it so dark," he said quietly. "I think there's a storm behind us--and it's coming up fast."

"I agree, Mr. Galyon," the captain replied.

"So… it's either storm or fog we're going into…"

"Yes. And I believe we will be safer going into the storm."

"Captain!" Clytie called. "We're not going anywhere!" Her voice was high-pitched and shaky.

The ship was trapped. Even though the engines were pushing it back from the fog, the currents and the storm were pushing it forward.

"Mr. Galyon, full speed ahead," Englehorn said suddenly. "We're turning around and heading into the storm."

"Aye, sir." Darby quickly changed the speed and direction of the engines, and the captain began to turn the wheel, easily to that the ship wouldn't tip.

Standing outside, Clytie felt the first few drops of rain. "It's raining!" she called back to the bridge.

Englehorn tightened his grip on the wheel, not looking forward to steering his ship into a storm. He glanced out at Clytie, who was standing in the rain, looking ahead. "Mr. Galyon, get her a jacket," he told his First Mate.

(LINE)

Carl Denham crept quietly down into the hold, stumbling occasionally from the rocking of the ship. In his pocket, he carried a small pocketknife. He had used it before to pick locks, and he was going to do it again. Slowly, he made his way to the locked cage which imprisoned Joe Wilson. "Joe!" he whispered. "It's Carl!"

The big man sat up slowly. "Carl? Are you getting me out?"

"Just as I promised." Carl began to work on the lock. "Unfortunately, you'll have to sneak back in here once the distraction is finished."

"Fine. As long as you eventually get me out for good… What's going on? Why is the ship rocking like this?"

"We've reached the fog," Carl explained. "And now we're running away from it--into a storm. Aha!" Carl had sprung the lock. He quickly opened the door. "While they're distracted with the storm, we can get the equipment ready."

Wilson stepped out of the cage and looked down at Carl. "Where is it?"

"In my cabin. Come on. Let's try not to be seen."

(LINE)

Ann, Jack, and Preston sat together in the galley. They had stayed out on the deck until it started to rain. Now, they were huddled together at one of the tables, waiting.

"If we survive this, we'll be at the island tomorrow," Preston spoke up.

The ship lurched suddenly, and they all grabbed onto the table.

"What if that boy's not alive?" Jack wondered aloud. "What if we're going through all this for nothing?"

"It's not nothing," Ann said quietly, touching his shoulder. "We all have to go back. It's like we're being… drawn back. We need to face our memories, our nightmares." She shook her head. "We can't stop now. We have to keep going."

Jack nodded. "You're right, darling," he said, squeezing her hand.

Jake Atkins and Bruce Baxter suddenly staggered into the galley, taking their seats at another table. "Safety in numbers, eh?" Bruce said lightly. Then his face paled as the ship rolled slightly to one side.

"Why are you even coming, Bruce?" Preston asked abruptly.

Bruce lifted his chin. "I went through all that, too. I'm one of you guys. And anyway, Carl…" He paused, then cleared his throat, knowing that what he was about to say was not going to make these people happy. "Carl wants to shoot some more footage. I agreed to be in some of it."

"Ah, great!" Jack exclaimed. "Here we go again!"

(LINE)

_Here we go again… _Clytie thought, staring down from the top of yet another huge wave. She fought the urge to close her eyes and scream as the ship plummeted down. She had been through storms at sea before, but nothing like this. "There's another big one fifty yards ahead!" she called back to the captain as soon as she caught her breath.

Soon, the _Venture _was slowly climbing the monstrous wave of water. They were almost at the top when the ship stopped moving. _God save us… We're gonna fall back down… _Clytie gripped the railing with all her strength.

"Hang on!" she heard Englehorn shout from behind her.

But the ship didn't fall backwards. Instead, the wave sank down, and the _Venture _plunged down the other side. As it hit the bottom of the wave, a huge wall of water broke over the bow of the ship.

Clytie held on with all her strength, but it wasn't enough. She was knocked back against the window, her breath ripped away. Lungs burning, blinded by water in her eyes, she tried to regain her balance, but it was useless. Her feet slipped in the water, and she fell. For a moment, she just laid there on the soaked deck, stunned and breathless.

"Clytie!" the captain's voice called. "Clytie, are you all right?"

She couldn't get enough breath to answer him. She could hear him yell to Darby, "Galyon, take the wheel!" Unable to see or speak, she sat up on one elbow, gasping for breath.

Suddenly, arms wrapped around her and a hand was wiping the water from her eyes.

Clytie looked up. Englehorn was kneeling beside her, one arm around her shoulders.

"Clytie! Are you all right?"

She nodded, still hardly able to breathe.

"Come on." He stood and pulled her to her feet beside him, half dragging her toward the doorway. Just as they reached it, the ship plunged down again, and they were nearly knocked off balance. But somehow, they managed to stagger onto the bridge, where Clytie collapsed to her knees, panting.

Jimmy's voice drifted down from above, nearly drowned out by the roar of the wind and the waves. "Is everyone all right?"

"We're fine!" the captain called.

Clytie wondered how Jimmy managed to hang on up there in the crow's nest. She tried to stand up, but grew dizzy and sank back down to her knees. Englehorn knelt beside her. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked.

"I'm… fine… Captain," she managed, leaning against the wall.

The captain stood and took the wheel from Darby.

"Looks like we're breaking through, Captain," the Irishman commented.

Clytie managed to get shakily to her feet. She turned to face the horizon. Darby was right. The storm was breaking up. There were still some big swells ahead, but none as big as the last few. She sighed audibly with relief.

In little time, the _Venture _was sailing slowly through slightly choppy waters.

Englehorn leaned back from the wheel and closed his eyes momentarily. "Full stop, Mr. Galyon."

"Aye, sir." Darby pulled back the levers with shaking hands.

The captain turned to Clytie. "I was worried that we'd lost you, Miss Seaborne," he said simply. He was barely able to control himself from shaking. The moment she'd disappeared from view, he had felt like someone had punched him in the gut.

Clytie smiled awkwardly and attempted to smooth her wet hair, which was all tangled up around her hair clip. "Well… Here I am. I made it." She smoothed down the raincoat Englehorn had sent Darby to give her, wincing when the water slapped the floor loudly.

Abruptly, the captain burst out laughing.

At first, Clytie was a bit hurt, but then, she smiled, and soon was laughing with him.

Darby glanced from one to the other, wondering if they had gone mad. Then he got it. "I'll just go… check on the crew, Captain," he said quickly. Then he left the bridge.

"Here. Let me fix that." Englehorn stepped close to Clytie and with surprising gentleness, worked the hair clip free from her hair. "There." He stepped back and looked at her. Her hair hung wet and loose just past her shoulders. He gave her a slow, crooked smile, then turned back to the wheel. "Miss Seaborne, since Mr. Galyon is checking on the crew, do you mind checking on your fellow passengers?"

Clytie hesitated for a moment. She felt strange. What had he meant to accomplish by fixing her hair? She blinked at him, disappointed for some odd reason. "Uhm… Yes. I mean, no… I don't mind… sir." She slowly walked toward the doorway.

"And while you're at it…" He gave her a slow, appraising look. "Change into something dry. I wouldn't want you to catch cold."

Clytie raised her eyebrows at him. He was a bit soaked himself. "You, too, Captain," she said quietly. Then she left the bridge. She headed immediately for the galley, sure that at least some of her fellow passengers would be there. She found all of them but Carl. "Is everyone all right?" she asked, avoiding meeting the eyes of Jake, who was staring at her.

"We're fine," Jack answered. He frowned. "But where's Carl?"

(LINE)

Carl and Wilson had just finished packing away Carl's film equipment in easily portable containers. Carl was a bit shaken by the storm. "That was kinda rough, eh, Joe?" he remarked to the big sailor, wiping his brow.

Wilson shrugged. "I'd better go back to the cage, Carl," he said. "That is, unless you need me for anything else."

"Nah. Nothing I can think of." Carl grinned. "Not yet."

(LINE)

Clytie quickly changed into her favorite black dress. It was one of her only articles of clothing that was both dry and clean. The dress suited her well, falling to her knees, with cap sleeves, a V-neckline, and low waist. After changing, she attacked her tangled hair with a brush and hurried back to the deck. She quickly mounted the steps to the bridge, where she spotted Darby at the wheel.

"The captain's in his cabin. He said to tell you that you can give him your report there," Darby explained.

Clytie felt the color drain from her face. Wilson's comments mocked her. "_Have you asked her to your cabin yet?" _"Uhm… Okay."

Darby tilted his head to the side and studied her. "Don't worry about what Wilson said, Clytie," he told her.

"All right." She smiled wryly. "Thanks, Darby." Then she headed for the captain's cabin. The door was closed, so for a moment, she stood there awkwardly. Why did she feel so shy all of a sudden? Sucking in a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Clytie opened the door and stepped inside.

The captain was sitting at a desk, his back to her.

She cleared her throat… No response. "Captain Englehorn?"

He turned quickly. "Clytie."

_I should start making bets with people over whether he's going to call me Clytie or Miss Seaborne when we talk… _"Everyone seems to be all right… Well, I'm not sure about Carl. No one seems to know where he is."

"Perhaps we got lucky, and he was washed overboard during the storm," Englehorn said, smiling crookedly.

"Perhaps." Clytie hesitated. "Uhm… Thank-you for… for rescuing me." _Once again, Clytie, you get points for originality._

The captain was quiet, momentarily looking away from her and staring at something far away, probably nonexistent. Then he looked back at her. "You're welcome." He stood and hooked his thumbs in his belt, studying her. "I'm glad I was able to get to you in time. I can't afford to lose you, Miss Seaborne."

Clytie wasn't really sure what to say.

Englehorn waited, as if expecting her to reply, then simply nodded. "Dismissed, Miss Seaborne. You may go rest." He turned, hesitated, then sat back down at his desk.

Clytie just stood there, watching him, feeling as if something hugely important had just slipped through her fingers. She suddenly noticed that her hairclip was sitting on the desk, the one that he had removed from her hair. Slowly, she crossed the floor to stand beside the desk. She reached out and closed her fingers around the hairclip, then started to turn away.

Suddenly, the captain's hand closed around her wrist. "Miss Seaborne… Clytie… You have no idea how much it upset me to almost lose you…"

Clytie dropped the clip. "I think maybe I do," she said quietly. "You _did _leave the wheel in the middle of a storm… just to come after me..." She finally met his eyes.

He stood and linked his fingers with hers. To her surprise, his hand was shaking. "Clytie, you are very important to me."

"You are to me, too." She smiled shyly. "I don't know how I can… every repay you for saving my life."

"Like this," he whispered, reaching with his free hand to touch her face. He bent forward and kissed her on the lips, softly at first, then with passion.

Clytie melted into his kiss, feeling as if this was all perfectly natural and right.

Finally, he released her, and the two of them just stood there, staring at each other. "Go get some rest, Miss Seaborne… Clytie," the captain said quietly. "You've been through a lot."

Clytie smiled at him. "You, too," she said softly. This time, her eyes told him everything. She shyly nodded to him and walked toward the door.

"Clytie."

She turned around.

"You can call me Eric."

She bit her lip, grinning. "All right… Eric." Then she slipped quietly out of the door and disappeared.

Englehorn sighed and leaned back against his desk. What was he doing? No… That wasn't the question. What was _she _doing to _him_? "Now that's what I would like to know," he muttered.


	9. Darkness on the Horizon

Chapter Nine

Clytie went to the galley to eat lunch and relax. She found only Preston there, which was something of a relief. She nodded quietly to him as she sat down across from him with her bowl of porridge (again).

Preston studied her carefully. She looked quite fetching in that black dress… but there was something else different about her… something about her eyes… "So… what's _your _story? How did _you _survive the storm?" he asked, curious about the light in her eyes and the color in her cheeks.

"Well, I was _almost _washed overboard," Clytie said. "I was standing outside the bridge as a lookout, and suddenly this big wave knocked me over. There was another big wave coming, but I was so stunned I couldn't move. Luckily for me, the captain noticed that I had disappeared from sight, so he came out there and got me back inside." She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, absently stirring her porridge, her eyes defocused. "He saved my life."

Preston rested his chin in his hands and raised his eyebrows. "Wow. Your grandchildren are going to love that story."

Clytie glanced sharply at him. Grandchildren, eh? She had always thought she would end up an old maid. She was in her mid-twenties already and had never had a very serious relationship. But now…maybe there was a chance for her. She had been asked out on a date already on this voyage and had just been kissed by someone whom she liked very much. She smiled. "Yeah. I'm gonna love telling them that one."

"Englehorn must think highly of you to have done that," Preston remarked nonchalantly. When Clytie didn't reply, he continued, "Jimmy and I were talking about it… How we've noticed what's going on between you and the captain."

Clytie nearly choked on her porridge and started coughing.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Clytie cleared her throat, blinking her watery eyes.

Preston looked askance at her. "Is there something we don't know yet… about… what's going on?"

Clytie stared at him incredulously. "What would make you think that?"

He grinned slyly. "You look… different. Your eyes, Clytie… They're shining."

Clytie immediately sucked the porridge from her spoon and held up the utensil so she could see her reflection in it.

Preston laughed.

Clytie _did _notice in her distorted reflection that her eyes were large and shiny, and her cheeks were pink. She quickly dropped her spoon into her porridge. "Is it… extremely obvious that I'm… different?" _That I was just kissed by the one person in all the world I would _want _to kiss me?_

Suddenly, Jack and Ann walked into the galley. Ann smiled instantly. "Clytie, you look so pretty today!" she exclaimed, sitting beside her friend. "Are you wearing your makeup differently?"

Clytie glanced at Preston, then said to Ann, "Actually, no. I'm just feeling very… refreshed."

Preston snorted and muttered, "I'll bet."

Clytie kicked him under the table.

Jack sat across from Ann and passed her a bowl of porridge (oh, how sick of it they were). He started stirring his own bowl. "So, Clytie, we hear that Englehorn had to save you from being washed over the side this morning," he remarked casually.

"That's true. Who told you?" Clytie asked. Did _everyone_ know about that?

"Darby," Jack replied. He took a sip of porridge. "Is it just me, or does it actually taste different today?" he joked.

Everyone laughed, even Clytie.

Jack glanced at her. "Is it just me… or do _you _look different, Clytie?"

Clytie blushed. "I guess my little… adventure… excited me… I guess..."

Preston grinned at her.

She shook her head slightly at him.

"Well, there's going to be plenty of adventure for you ahead," Jack said gravely. "Once we get off the island with your brother, believe me, you'll be sick of it."

Clytie suddenly felt as if another wave had washed over her. "How could he have survived this long?" she asked quietly. "It's been so long…"

Jack mentally kicked himself. _Driscoll, why do you always have to bring up stuff like that? _"He's an explorer, Clytie," he said soothingly. "From what I've heard, he's a very resourceful young man. I'm sure he's found a way to remain safe." He smiled wryly. "If _I _could have survived Skull Island, surely your brother can."

"He's right, Clytie," Preston added. "Jimmy and I survived, too, and you know how we are. And Ann, too."

That made Clytie feel better. "He's all right," she said, trying to convince herself. "I'm sure he is. And we'll rescue him, and we'll be all right, too."

Preston grinned slyly at her. "And you'll have Captain Englehorn to keep you from falling over the side of the deck if we go through a storm again," he said, laughter in his green eyes.

She kicked him again.

Ann studied Clytie closely, noticing some things she hadn't caught before. "I'm sure you feel safer to have him along. I think you were wise to go to him about this."

"Me, too," Clytie said quietly.

Ann exchanged glances with Preston. So _he _had already figured this out…

After lunch, Ann hooked her arm around Clytie's. "Let's take a walk on the deck, Clytie," she suggested. "This may be our last chance before… you know."

Clytie smiled gratefully at her. "Sounds good to me." She walked with Ann out onto the deck.

The sun was starting to break through the dark gray clouds, and there was a pale rainbow slashed across the sky. It was absolutely beautiful.

The two young women walked to the bow and stood there quietly at the railing, arms linked. It was a long time before Ann spoke. "On my last voyage on this ship, I fell in love with Jack," she said softly. The rainbow was reflected rather strangely in her green-blue eyes. It had a hauntingly pretty effect. She turned to look at Clytie. "They say that kind of thing happens on these sea voyages."

Clytie looked down at the water. "So you've figured it out, too."

Ann smiled at the other girl. "It took me awhile. I thought at first that the two of you were just becoming friends, that he admired you for your sailing skills, that you respected him as a leader."

Clytie quickly met Ann's eyes. "I know you don't trust him--"

Ann held up a hand. "I didn't. But I think I'm learning to. All of us made mistakes on that last journey." She smiled sadly.

"I'm really sorry that all that happened to you," Clytie said.

Ann shook her head. "It's okay. _Some _good came of it. I met Jack on that trip, the love of my life. And I _did _make a good friend, even if…" She quickly stopped herself from thinking of Kong. "And it looks as if those of us who survived stand to gain even more. We got to meet you, Clytie. I have a feeling the captain will stand to gain the most from that." She winked.

Clytie blushed. Then she sighed, worried. "Do you think we have a chance, Ann? We're a lot alike, it's true. We both love the sea and all, but… We're very different, too. And we come from very different backgrounds…"

"It's a bit early yet to tell," Ann replied. "But if Jack and I could make it…"

Suddenly, Jimmy joined them at the rail. "Miss Seaborne, Miss Darrow--I think you'd better get over here," he said quickly.

"What's going on?" Ann asked worriedly.

Clytie felt her heartbeat speed up. Not something bad, not again…

"There's some trouble with Mr. Denham," Jimmy explained quietly, glancing over his shoulder. He looked from Clytie to Ann and back again. "And it involves both of your men."

Ann and Clytie looked at each other, then said to Jimmy in unison, "Lead the way, Jimmy."

(LINE)

"Mr. Denham, stand aside. I'm taking Mr. Wilson back where he belongs," Captain Englehorn insisted, taking a step forward.

Carl shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not possible. I'm not doing _anything _you say until you take us through that fog."

"Carl, don't be an idiot," Jack snapped. "We can't go through now. We need to wait until tomorrow morning."

"You're wrong, Jack. We need to get there as soon as possible. David Seaborne can't possibly last much longer." He grinned. "And besides… I have a deadline. I need to get filming as soon as possible."

"It would be stupid to try searching the island at night," Englehorn insisted. "We would have to wait for daylight anyway." He took another step forward. "Mr. Wilson, come with me."

Wilson shook his head. "I'm with Mr. Denham now, Captain. I don't take you orders anymore."

"Traitor!" Darby shouted from the small crowd gathered behind Jack and the Captain.

Englehorn glanced behind him. There stood Jimmy, Darby, Preston, Atkins, Baxter, Ann, and… Clytie. Clytie had her eyes fixed on him. Her skin looked so pale against the black of her dress.

"Captain, you need to agree with us now before we resort to more… drastic measures," Carl announced.

"Don't do it, Englehorn," Jack said quickly.

Clytie, watching from the crowd, felt someone grab her arm. She turned and looked up into the face of her godfather. "Stop them, Jake!" she whispered. "Stop Denham and Wilson!"

Jake shook his head. "They're doing this without my consent…"

"Then stop them!" Clytie snapped. "Jack and Eric might get hurt!"

Jake blinked. " Eric? So you and the captain are on a first name basis now? Is there something between the two of you I need to know about?"

"Jake! DO SOMETHING!"

Jake hesitated. He didn't like the idea of _his _goddaughter gallivanting with some lowly ship's captain--a foreigner at that!

Suddenly, there was a collective gasp from the crowd. Clytie turned to see what was going on.

Wilson had drawn a pistol.

Clytie clenched her fists and bit her lip to keep from crying out.

Darby moved closer to her and nodded downward. She saw that his left hand hovered over a pistol in his belt. "Don't worry," he whispered.

"I can't help it," she answered shakily.

Englehorn eyed the gun in Wilson's hand. Wilson wasn't a speedy man. He relied more on strength. The captain had a pistol. Maybe he could draw and fire before Wilson noticed…

"Captain…" Jack said, his voice cautioning.

Englehorn looked at Jack. Maybe Jack could distract Wilson and Denham…

"This is taking far too long," Carl said impatiently. "If you can't make up your mind, Captain, we are going to make it up for you." He stood on his tiptoes and studied the crowd. "Miss Seaborne. Step forward."

"Denham…" Englehorn growled.

"Clytie, if you don't step forward, Mr. Wilson is going to shoot the captain," Carl said matter-of-factly. He nodded to Wilson, who immediately leveled the barrel of his gun at Captain Englehorn.

Clytie stepped forward slowly, feeling a bit frightened--and very angry.

"Keep coming," Carl urged, motioning to her.

As she walked past the captain, she brushed her hand against his arm.

"Clytie…" he whispered. "Go back."

She shook her head and said nothing.

Carl nodded to Wilson, and the big man suddenly grabbed Clytie and held the gun to her head.

Englehorn's hand jerked convulsively toward his pistol, but he hesitated. If he drew his weapon, Wilson would surely hurt Clytie…

Clytie remained still and silent in Wilson's grip, closing her eyes and praying. _God help us…_

"Captain, get up there to that bridge and get us into that fog," Carl said calmly.

Jack closed his eyes and hung his head.

Englehorn nodded tightly. "All right. You win, Denham." He turned angrily and started walking toward the bridge.

"Jack, you go with him," Carl said. "Mr. Galyon, you, too."

Clytie knew what he was doing. He was gathering everyone he saw as a threat into one place so he could keep an eye on them.

(LINE)

Englehorn steered his ship slowly into the fog. This entire situation was driving him mad. He could see Wilson and Clytie down on the deck. Wilson had made sure to stand where the captain could see him, reminding him that Clytie was being held hostage. And right now, he was powerless to save her.

Carl stood in the bridge with Jack, Darby, and the captain, keeping a sharp eye on them. The instant anyone tried anything, he had explained, he would signal to Wilson. Ann, Preston and Jimmy were locked in the galley. Bruce and Jake, not being seen as much of a threat, were allowed to wander free. The rest of the crew was being allowed to do what was necessary to get the ship through the fog.

Jack glanced at Darby and Englehorn. Both were armed. Maybe, somehow, they could overpower Carl and Wilson… But first, they would need a distraction. He decided to get to work on that as the ship slid into the fog…

(LINE)

"I think we need to somehow distract Wilson and get Clytie away from him," Jimmy spoke up from where he sat on the floor of the galley.

Preston and Ann looked at each other, then at Jimmy.

"How do we get out of the galley?" Ann asked. "Because if we get out, I say--go for it."

Jimmy smiled. "I'm a cabin boy. I know a way out. I just had to think about it first."

Preston smiled. "Then let's go for it."


	10. Set Me Free

Chapter Ten

The darkness, the fog, the danger--it was suffocating Clytie Seaborne. She felt helpless, and useless, just standing there in Wilson's grip, the cold barrel of his gun pressed against her temple. Eventually, this was going to give her a headache. She tried to shift her head so that there wasn't so much pressure against it.

"Be still," Wilson snapped, tightening his grip on her.

Clytie sighed. Useless. She was quiet and still for awhile. Then, she asked, "Can we at least turn around so we can see where we're going?"

Wilson grunted in reply, but turned around, turning Clytie with him.

What Clytie saw took her breath away. The ship was slowly moving through the water, through the fog that was so thick, nothing could be seen of what was ahead. Straining her neck, Clytie peered back at the bridge. How on earth did the captain know where he was going?

"Be still, I said!"

Clytie gritted her teeth and kept still.

(LINE)

"Come on." Jimmy crawled through the small space between the walls, motioning for Ann and Preston to follow.

Ann, who was in the middle, stopped for a moment to toss her hair out of her eyes. She wished she had worn it differently today. "How long now?" she asked, crawling after Jimmy. She didn't even want to think about what she was crawling on… Dust certainly, but maybe… No. She wasn't going to think about it.

"It's not far now," Jimmy called back. "This comes out in the hold, if I remember correctly."

"Is there any way we could, perhaps, find some weapons down there?" Preston asked, brushing a spider web out of his face.

"Sure," Jimmy replied. "The captain keeps weapons everywhere. It's just a matter of breaking into whatever he's got them in."

Soon, Jimmy stopped crawling and started pressing on the wall in front of him. Ann and Preston came up behind him, waiting. Finally, Jimmy had worked the panel loose, and the three of them slipped into the hold, which was eerily quiet.

Jimmy and Preston helped Ann to her feet, and she stood there for a moment, feeling the movement of the deck beneath her feet. "It won't be long now until we reach the rocks," she said quietly.

"Then we've got to hurry," Preston said, looking around. "Let's go."

(LINE)

"So, Carl, you're making another film, are you?" Jack asked suddenly.

"Yeah. I sure am. This'll make up for last time." Carl lifted his chin. "The world owes this to me."

"Does it, now? Explain. You've got me interested."

As Carl launched into a complicated explanation, Englehorn frowned. What was Jack doing asking Denham all those questions? He glanced back at the two men. Carl's eyes were trained on Jack, and he was getting very involved in his explanation. _It's a distraction,_ the captain thought. _Good work, Driscoll. _He glanced at Darby, who was watching Jack and Carl with interest. If only he could catch his First Mate's attention…

"Mr. Galyon," he said quietly, so as not to disturb Carl. "Look ahead and tell me what you see."

Darby turned to him and frowned in confusion.

Englehorn nodded toward Carl and Jack and mouthed, "Distraction."

Darby nodded in understanding, said, "Just the fog, Captain," then motioned to the pistol in his belt and raised his eyebrows in question.

The captain nodded slowly, then held up his hand as if to say, "Wait." He turned back to the wheel. Those rocks would not be long in coming. "Mr. Galyon, slow us down."

Darby nodded and hurried to obey. He glanced down at the deck. Wilson and Clytie had their backs to the bridge. He caught the captain's eye and looked pointedly down at the deck.

Englehorn followed his eyes and noticed the change in Wilson and Clytie's positions.

"But, Carl, why didn't you just ask us to help you?" Jack was saying. "Why do you have to do this?"

"I know you wouldn't help me," Carl scoffed. "This is the only way." He glanced at the captain.

_Dang it, look _here_, Carl. _"Carl--"

"You see, the captain here has a thing for Miss Seaborne down there, so I knew I could use that to my advantage," Carl said, his attention turned from Jack.

Englehorn glanced back at Jack. _Do something, Driscoll!_

"Carl, explain to me how you always know how to use every situation to your own advantage," Jack spoke up quickly.

He had Carl's attention.

Darby and the captain breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mr. Galyon, in about twenty seconds, I will tell you to stop the ship." Englehorn slowly began to draw the pistol from his belt. "Do as I say, then draw your pistol and turn on Mr. Denham. Do not fire unless it is absolutely necessary. I don't want to have to clean up any human remains from my bridge."

Darby nodded.

Englehorn straightened. "Mr. Galyon, full stop."

Then everything happened fast.

Darby quickly pulled on the levers. The ship lurched to a stop. Then, the captain spun on Carl, aiming his pistol. "Don't make a sound, Mr. Denham," he said, his voice cold. "And I don't think it will do you any good to signal Mr. Wilson. His back is to the bridge."

By this time, Darby had drawn and aimed his gun as well. Carl was looking at two barrels aimed straight at him. "Whoa, whoa, fellas!" He held up his hands. "Calm down."

"Calm down?" Englehorn shook his head. "After what you've done today?"

Jack glanced quickly at the captain, thinking for a second that he might attack Carl. There was something very scary, very dangerous in his eyes at the moment.

Darby cleared his throat. "Captain, do you think we might need to come up with a plan to get Miss Seaborne back from Mr. Wilson?"

Englehorn took a deep breath, calming himself down. "You're right, Mr. Galyon. Let's do that." He turned to Jack. "Get Mr. Denham into the hold. Make it look like he's taking you there, just in case Wilson notices."

Jack nodded.

"Mr. Galyon, you and I are going to get down there and rescue Miss Seaborne."

(LINE)

Ann, Preston, and Jimmy crouched at the top of the stairs. From where they were, they could see Wilson and Clytie at the bow of the ship.

"Why is his back turned?" Preston wondered aloud. "Why isn't he keeping his eyes on the bridge for Carl's signal?"

"I don't know, but I sure am glad that's how it is," Jimmy replied. "That definitely works to our advantage."

Suddenly, as if in response to Jimmy's words, Wilson turned around. He didn't see the three people on the stairs because his eyes went immediately to the bridge. He was frowning. "Carl!" he called. "Where are you?"

"Carl's not on the bridge!" Ann exclaimed in a whisper. "Where is he then?"

"Obviously, something's going on," Preston said. "He wouldn't just leave the captain alone up there."

"This is good," said Jimmy. "If the captain's free… then that means he can help us. The ship has stopped, so he doesn't really need to be at the wheel. We can distract Wilson, and--"

"What about Jack?" Ann whispered, her eyes large. "Where is he?"

"He might still be on the bridge," Preston said. "Then again, maybe not."

"I'm right here," a voice whispered from behind them.

"Jack!" Ann threw herself into his arms.

Jack hugged her for a moment, then said, "We've got Carl in a cage down below. Darby and Englehorn have weapons, and they're ready. We just need to distract Wilson." He pulled back from his wife. "Ann, you need to stay here."

Ann frowned. "Of course not. I'm part of this rescue mission. I could--"

"Jack's right. This could get dangerous."

"Jack, no!" Ann protested.

"Ann, yes," he replied. "Stay." Then he turned and nodded to Jimmy and Preston, and the three men made their way across the deck.

(LINE)

Clytie saw them before Wilson. At first, she didn't say anything. Then she realized what they were doing. They were _trying _to distract him. "Jack! Jimmy! Preston!" she exclaimed.

Wilson turned and saw them. He now aimed his gun at the three men instead of Clytie.

_Please, God, don't let anyone get hurt. _Clytie squirmed a bit, testing Wilson's hold on her. It was still strong, but not half as tight as it had been. Maybe she could break free and get that gun…

"Get back!" Wilson hollered. "Get back or I'll shoot!"

"So will we," said Jimmy, holding up a gun he had found.

"I'll shoot _her_!" Wilson cried, once again holding his pistol to Clytie's head.

"No, you will not," came a voice from behind. There was a crack. Wilson stumbled, his hold on Clytie loosening.

Clytie darted from his grasp, jerking his pistol away from him, then quickly spun to face him. Someone had shot him in the shoulder from behind. The captain! At first, Clytie was sure that it was all over. Then she saw Wilson go for something in his boot. Another pistol! The big man was surprisingly fast as he drew the weapon and spun on the captain and Darby, cocking his pistol. He pulled the trigger before anyone could react. Darby collapsed to the deck with a cry of pain. Wilson aimed at the captain.

"Wilson! Stop or I'll shoot!" Clytie yelled, aiming at Wilson.

Wilson froze, remembering abruptly that she had taken his gun. He turned. Clytie, Jack, Jimmy, and Preston were all aiming guns at him. He looked behind him. Englehorn, standing over Darby, was doing the same. He was surrounded. The big man let his gun clatter do the deck and hung his head.

"Clytie… Are you all right?" Englehorn asked.

She nodded. "I'm--I'm fine. Darby?"

Darby climbed to his feet, clutching his left arm. His face was pale. "Just a scratch," he replied.

"Jimmy, Mr. Galyon, get this man below--again," the captain ordered. "After that, tend to your wound, Mr. Galyon. And Jimmy, you tell the crew that this ship is back in my control."

Jimmy and Darby once again led Wilson away.

Ann ran up behind Jack and threw her arms around him.

Preston took off his glasses and cleaned them.

Clytie and the captain stood there for a moment, neither of them sure just what to do. He holstered his pistol, and she slid the one she was holding into her pocket. Then they just continued to stand there, looking at each other.

Finally, he stepped forward and simply pulled her into his arms. Clytie closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning against his chest. She could have stood like that forever.


	11. The Island at Last

Chapter Eleven

Eventually, Englehorn remembered that they were standing on a ship in the middle of a fog. He pulled back from Clytie. "We need to get through this fog," he said. "Let's get to the bridge."

Jack, Ann, and Preston watched the two of them walk up to the bridge together.

"I hope Darby's all right," Ann spoke up.

"I think the bullet just nicked him," Jack replied. "That probably hurt, though."

"That could have been you, Jack," Ann said gravely. "This rescue mission isn't going very well, is it?"

Preston sighed. "Seems to me that we're all gonna need rescuing by the time it's over and done with." He glanced around himself at the fog and shuddered. "I think I'm going to my cabin," he muttered, walking off.

Jack suddenly grabbed Ann and kissed her. "I'm so glad you're all right," he whispered in her ear. "That was too close."

"You were the one in danger, not me," she insisted. She sighed and settled in his arms. "We'll be at the island in less than an hour, Jack. I don't know what I'll do when we get there. I might go crazy." She squeezed her eyes shut.

Jack held her even more tightly in his arms. "No, you won't. I won't let you, Ann."

(LINE)

Clytie stood awkwardly on the bridge, watching the captain do everything by himself. She once again felt a bit useless. "Uhm, what do you want me to do?"

He glanced at her. "I need you to be my lookout. In a few minutes, we will have reached the rocks."

Clytie moved to stand at the window.

Jimmy came onto the bridge. "All right, Captain. Things are back to normal," he said. He looked out at the fog, then back at the captain. "Let me guess-- 'Crow's nest, Jimmy.'"

Englehorn nodded. "Go."

As Jimmy passed Clytie on his way out, he patted her shoulder. "Glad you're okay," he said.

"Same to you," she replied as he went out.

Englehorn frowned. "You and Jimmy seem close," he said bluntly.

Clytie turned to look at him, surprised. "We're just friends. He used to see me as more than that, but…" _What do I say? That he realizes I'm pretty much yours? That would be a bit awkward…_

"I assume by now he's noticed how things are between you and I," the captain said.

Clytie nodded. "He has." _How _are _things between us, by the way, Captain? _She smiled, remembering their kiss._"Don't expect too much from him too soon," _Jimmy had said That kiss... That was enough to satisfy her for now. Then she turned back to the horizon. _And how are we going to get to the island without damaging this boat?_

Darby came onto the bridge, his left arm bandaged just below the elbow.

"How are you, Mr. Galyon?" the captain asked from the wheel.

"I'll live, I expect," Darby replied. "But I don't think it would be a good idea to put me at the wheel. This arm is a bit weak, and it stings like mad."

"All right. Keep an eye on the instruments and await my instructions."

Things were quiet for a few moments.

Then, suddenly, Jimmy yelled from above, "There they are, Captain! I can see the rocks!"

"Slow us down, Mr. Galyon."

"Yes, sir."

"Captain, how are we going to… when and where are we going to stop?" Clytie asked nervously. Those rocks ahead looked huge.

"As soon as we get out of the fog, just before the rocks," the captain explained.

_That doesn't leave us much room, _Clytie thought.

"Just so you know, you can call each other Clytie and Eric in front of me," Darby said suddenly. Clytie and Englehorn stared at him. He held up his hands. "Don't look at me like that. I know what's going on between you. I know you're both private people, but…" He shrugged. "Some things just can't be hidden from a genius like me."

"Rocks, Captain! Straight ahead!" Jimmy suddenly cried.

(LINE)

The ship lurched. On the bow deck, Jack and Ann caught each other's arms, barely staying on their feet. Ann met Jack's eyes. "I'm not hiding in the galley this time," she said quietly. "This is it. We've arrived."

Jack nodded. "And I'll stay right out here with you." He held onto his wife with one arm and the rail with the other. "I think Englehorn's going to try to anchor just before it gets too shallow." He peered ahead at the rocks in the mist. "I only hope he has enough time."

The Driscolls held onto each other, waiting for either death on the rocks, or a successful stop. The ship was going very slow, but was still drifting toward the rocks. Clytie's and Jimmy's voices floated down from above, calling out various warnings to the captain and Darby on the bridge.

"We'll make it, Ann," Jack whispered to her.

She leaned her head against his shoulder, but kept her eyes wide open, staring at the dim, rocky horizon. "I know," she whispered back. "We're supposed to… All of us… We're supposed to be on that island…"

(LINE)

Thanks to the skill of its captain and crew, the _Venture _was safely anchored by nightfall. As soon as they had come to rest, Clytie had quietly walked to the bow, where she stood peering in the darkness at the shadowy blur on the horizon--Skull Island. "We're here," she whispered.

A cool breeze blew around her. She shivered. It was as if someone, or something knew, and it was expecting them… expecting her. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, looking up at the sky, hoping to see stars. She saw none. It almost made her cry.

_God… why have you brought us here? Where is David? How will we ever survive? _She leaned against the rail, looking down at the dark water below.

"Not thinking of jumping, are you, Miss Seaborne?"

Clytie straightened and smiled wryly at the captain. "No. Not this time."

"Good." He looked out toward the dark shape of the island. "We'll need everyone we have when we are on the island." He turned to face her. "Even if we find your brother, I can guarantee you, this will not be easy." He tilted his head to the side and stood akimbo. "But you know that, don't you? You've known that from the very beginning, and yet you never waver."

Clytie looked down. "I feel a bit like I'm wavering right now. I don't want to give up. I'll never do that, but…" She looked out at Skull Island, and once again, a cool breeze played with her hair and made her shiver. "Do you feel that? It's like there's… evil, coming from the island."

"That's because there is, Clytie," Englehorn replied. He suddenly reached out to touch her shoulder. "Don't worry. I won't let any harm come to you."

She glanced at him sharply. "I know," she said. Then she frowned. "But… who's going to take care of you?"

"You did a good job of that today." He smiled crookedly. "I will never forget the sight of you walking out of that crowd for me, when Carl threatened to have Wilson shoot me. And then, when Wilson was aiming at me and you shouted at him like that…" He brushed a strand of her hair from her face. "You are one strong woman, Clytie Seaborne. I know that you fear that place now, but…" He turned to look at it again, feeling quite uncomfortable himself. "We all do. That is nothing to be ashamed of."

"All right." She watched him lean forward against the rail, blue eyes trained on the horizon. She bit her lip as she studied him. He looked so worried… Slowly, she moved to stand behind him, and gently, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, leaning her head against his strong, slim back. "You'll watch out for me, and I'll watch out for you, all right?"

He glanced down at her arms around him and smiled. "All right, Miss Seaborne. That's what we'll do."

Clytie shivered suddenly, somehow realizing that they would have to do exactly that.

The two of them stood like that for a few minutes, drawing strength from each other, then the captain said, "Clytie, you need to get some rest. Come on. I'll walk you to your cabin."

They walked in silence until they reached the door to Clytie's cabin.

"Good-night, Miss Seaborne," the captain said quietly. He bent to kiss her softly on the lips, then drew back and smiled at her. "Clytie."

"Good-night, Captain Englehorn." Clytie suddenly pulled his head down and kissed him warmly, then released him, grinning. "Eric." Then she slipped into her room and closed the door.

That night, Clytie had a rather ridiculous dream about dancing around the deck with the captain to beautiful, unfamiliar music, wearing her black dress and her hair in a bun. As they danced, he removed her hair clip and tossed it into the ocean, and her hair tumbled down around her shoulders. Then, Ann and Jack came up beside them, also dancing to the strange, haunting music. Then, quite suddenly, the music changed and became frantic. The dance went from smooth and graceful to wild and fast.

"We have to stop dancing!" Ann cried. "Or we'll die!"

But they couldn't. They were trapped in the mad dance…

Suddenly, Clytie woke up. She sat up slowly, shaking her head. What an odd dream that had been! She stood slowly and began to dress. Today, they would be on the island, so she dressed accordingly in a comfortable green shirt and tan skirt and a pair of comfy brown boots. She tied her hair back in a ponytail, then glanced at her reflection in the mirror. "This is it, Clytie," she whispered.

(LINE)

The passengers and crew of the _Venture _stood on the deck, awaiting orders. Jack, Englehorn, and Clytie swiftly assigned duties to everyone. Robbins would be in charge of the ship while Englehorn and Darby were on the island. The island party would split up into two parties--one led by Jack and one led by the captain. Ann, Darby, Bruce, and four crewmen would be in Jack's party. Clytie, Preston, Jimmy, Jake, and three more crewmen would be in Englehorn's. Each party carried pistols, rifles, Tommy guns, food, rope, flashlights, signal flares, and medical kits. To communicate, they would use the flares. Englehorn, Darby, and Robbins quickly came up with a flare code.

Then, they lowered the boats.

Clytie felt shivery with anticipation as she sat in the boat with her party. It seemed as if they were moving so slowly toward the island. She glanced at the rocks they were rowing through. To her shock, most of them were shaped like skulls, with fangs and huge eye sockets. A feeling of otherness washed over her. Abruptly, she thought, _We don't belong here, but we are drawn here. We are supposed to come here, even though we are not a part of this place…_

In the other boat, Ann leaned against Jack's shoulder, her eyes trained on the view ahead. There it was--the wall that had once held back the mighty Kong. She closed her eyes, remembering.

"Are you all right?" Jack whispered.

She nodded into his shoulder and opened her eyes. "I'll be fine, Jack. Just…" She reached to squeeze his hand. "Stay close to me. Don't leave me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he replied.

Ann knew he was telling the truth, and it comforted her. She glanced over her shoulder at the other boat and caught Clytie's eye. Understanding passed between them. Ann knew that Clytie was having similar feelings of apprehension.

Soon, the boats came ashore. The men helped Clytie and Ann out of the boats, and everyone stood looking around. They were in the midst of ruins. It was all familiar to Jack, Ann, Englehorn, Preston, Bruce, and Jimmy. The stakes with skeletons of humans and animals atop them… The caves in the rock… The huge wall and the busted gate…

The captain shook himself. "Everyone--draw your weapons. We may have to use them against the natives."

Clytie shivered, remembering all she had heard about the Skull Island natives--violent and pagan, with little respect for human life.

"Stay close to me," Englehorn whispered to her as he passed by.

She was happy to obey.

At first, the two parties stayed close together. They scanned the area for any sign of David Seaborne, at first finding none.

Clytie fought down the urge to scream for her brother. She could feel danger emanating from this place… How could her brother be alive here? Hopelessly, she peered around her at her gloomy surroundings. No sign of David at all, not even the remains of his boat… Could it be that she had brought these people here for nothing, that David was at the bottom of the ocean?

"Captain!" Jimmy called suddenly. "Look!" He was pointing toward the wall.

The two parties quickly moved toward the wall.

"What is it, Jimmy?" Englehorn asked.

"It's… I think it's a shoe," Jimmy replied.

It was indeed a shoe, a man's hiking boot, propped up against the base of the huge wall.

Clytie broke from the group and ran to it, grabbing it up in her shaking hands. "It's--it's David's!" she cried. "He was here!"


	12. The Danger Accelerates

Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews! You guys keep me going! Yay! I apologize if this chapter is too long; I just got really excited with this story. It is soooooooooo much fun to write!

Chapter Twelve

After finding the shoe, the two parties split up. Jack's party was to search the part of the island that had been explored last time. Englehorn's party would strike out for the undiscovered part.

Before the parties split, Ann gave Clytie a quick hug. "Be careful," she said. "This place is so dangerous."

Clytie nodded. "I will. You, too." Then she turned to follow Englehorn, who was watching her carefully. Although she felt safe being so close to him, she was a bit disturbed by the fact that they were going to search the places on the island where no one had been before. It was a daunting--and frightening--task.

The jungles of the island seemed to swallow up the rescuers as they slowly advanced, keeping their eyes opened for any further sign of David.

Clytie's green eyes were wide as she scanned the jungle around her. Everything was big and wild and foreign. Huge insects buzzed around the party. The brush moved on occasion, inhabited by creatures Clytie didn't even want to think about. She kept her right hand close to the pistol on her hip. She hoped she didn't have to use it, but she was ready just in case.

"Clytie… How are you?" asked a quiet voice from beside her.

She looked up into Jake Atkins' gray eyes. "Fine, Jake," she answered, looking away from him.

"I feel safer walking with you," he said lightly. "I've seen you shoot a gun before. You're better than me." He chuckled. "Heck, you're better than David… But we won't tell him that, will we?"

Clytie caught herself smiling. "No. We won't." Then she frowned. "Jake… You know I'm a good shot. You know I can handle things. Why, then, did you find it necessary to come along?"

Jake was quiet for a moment.

Englehorn glanced back at the two of them, his face unreadable.

Clytie gave him a quick smile.

"Clytie… I'm sorry," Jake said suddenly. "I should never have come. Bringing Carl along nearly got you killed. It was… stupid of me."

"It's all right, Jake. You just overreacted."

Her godfather frowned. "I still don't fully approve of your… closeness to the captain, though," he whispered.

Clytie narrowed her eyes. "I don't care," she replied quietly. "That man saved my life. And he is…" Her eyes softened. "He is the best man I have ever met. He's certainly not perfect, but he's strong and brave and… He understands me, takes care of me, protects me…" She glanced sharply at Jake. "You think he's not good enough for me, but sometimes I wonder if I'm good enough for him."

Jake was silent.

Walking ahead of them, Englehorn smiled. He had heard every word she said.

(LINE)

In Jack's party, everyone was quiet. Ann walked close to Jack, holding tightly to his arm. She felt a bit nauseated at being back on Skull Island. Little about the place had changed. The natives had not come out of hiding (fortunately), and Kong was gone… but… Everything else was the same.

"Ann, are you okay?" Jack whispered.

She nodded quickly. "Yes, Jack. It's just… We're here," she whispered.

"Jack," Darby called suddenly. "I think we should stop."

Jack stopped walking, and everyone followed suit. "What is it, Darby?" he asked.

Darby drew his rifle from the holster on his back. "I think we're being followed," he said quietly. "I think we should draw our weapons."

A feeling of dread washed over Jack. He nodded. "Good idea." He called to the rest of the party, "Did you hear that? We need to get our guns out."

Soon, everyone in the party was holding their guns. "All right," said Jack. "Let's keep moving… but slowly."

The party advanced cautiously through the lush, twisted jungle.

"I can't believe we're doing this again," Bruce muttered, adjusting his grip on his Tommy gun. He walked just behind Ann and Jack. "I should have stayed on the boat."

Jack threw him an annoyed glance. "Get a hold of yourself, Bruce," he whispered. "It's too late to go back now."

(LINE)

"Let's stop here for a rest," Englehorn called to his party as they reached the edge of a clearing in the jungle. They had walked for over a mile, he was sure, and had found no sign of David Seaborne other than that shoe. He shook his head. This was not turning out to be an easy mission.

Clytie moved to stand beside him, her eyes on the clearing. It was beautiful, green and luscious--a fertile plain surrounded on all sides by jungle. But she knew that the beauty hid the danger. The thought gave her cold chills.

"We'll find your brother, Clytie." Englehorn came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "I won't leave until we know what happened to him."

Clytie reached to place her hands on top of his. "Thank-you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he whispered in reply. Then he slid his hands from her shoulders and turned to the rest of the party. "Five minutes and we're heading out again," he said. "So get your rest now."

Clytie, with her back to the others, frowned as she peered at the clearing ahead. What was that moving in the distance? She narrowed her eyes, concentrating. Her fingers clasped the holt of her pistol. "Uhm… I think there's something out there…" she said, keeping her voice low. "I think it's coming toward us."

The captain turned to look.

As soon as he did, the shapes on the horizon became clear.

Englehorn cursed. "Everyone, get up and draw your weapons."

Clytie whipped her pistol from its holster and cocked it.

"Get back, Clytie!" Englehorn grabbed her by the arm and jerked her to stand behind him.

"I was wondering where they were…" Preston muttered as he watched the natives advance.

The captain signaled for the rest of the men to move forward, but he kept Clytie behind him.

"Eric--"

"Stay back, Clytie!" he ordered.

"I'm a good shot!" she protested.

"You'll have to shoot from behind me," he replied. Then he glanced back and flashed her a crooked smile. "Just make sure you don't shoot me."

Clytie glared at him, then smiled. She couldn't help but smile at him, albeit unwillingly. "Yes, sir, Captain," she muttered.

"At my signal, we'll fire our guns to try and scare them off," Englehorn announced. "But if they keep coming, we'll shoot them. Understood?"

Everyone assured him that they did.

The Skull Island natives continued to run toward them. Clytie could make them out clearly by now. These were all men, scantily clad and heavily armed with crude weapons. They were dark and sinewy and appeared to be very angry.

"Fire your weapons!" Englehorn shouted

There was an explosion of sound as the various guns went off. Clytie pointed her pistol at the sky and squeezed the trigger once, twice, three times…

At first, the natives slowed down, crouching in the high grass, and some even retreated back into the jungle.

One of the crewman gave a victory cry.

Jimmy shook his head and turned to the captain. "This isn't it, is it, Captain? It's not gonna be that easy…"

His words proved true. Suddenly, from behind there was a horrendous screech. A native man, armed with a dagger, came out of the jungle behind the rescue party, leaping at Clytie.

Clytie screamed and turned around, leveling her gun at him. She pulled the trigger just in time, and the man fell dead at her feet.

Englehorn, shaken by almost losing Clytie (again), spun around and grabbed hold of her. "Stay close to me!" he whispered in her ear. Out loud, he called, "Follow me! Into the jungle!"

The small group followed him as he ran at an angle into the jungle at a spot no natives had emerged from. As they ran, natives armed with daggers, spears, and clubs flooded the clearing from both sides.

Englehorn led his group to safety in the trees, still hanging on to Clytie, then yelled, "Turn and fire!"

As the rest of the party fired at the natives, Clytie managed to slip her arm out from under Englehorn's and fire her own pistol. Her fingers trembled a bit, but her aim was good, and she managed to drop a few of the violent warriors who were rushing toward the rescue party.

Englehorn shifted his grip on Clytie and sheathed his pistol, reaching into his bag for his Tommy gun. "Jimmy! How many of them do you see?" he called before sending a burst of fire into the rushing ranks of warriors.

"I counted about fifteen back there!" Jimmy replied. "But I'm sure it's at least twice that now!"

"Probably more!" Preston added cheerfully. He didn't have much combat experience, but he had no qualms about fighting for his life.

"Surely they can't overpower us!" Jake exclaimed. "We have far superior weapons!"

"Yes, but they have numbers, Mr. Atkins," the captain replied grimly. "And they know the terrain."

(LINE)

Darby glanced over his shoulder, then instantly wished that he hadn't. It would be much easier to die without knowing what was killing you. "Jack! There's a giant lizard thing!" he hollered. "It's coming after us!"

At his yell, the rest of the party turned around--and they started yelling as well, for there, in the jungle behind them, stood a giant lizard, taller than a man and at least three times longer. At first, it just watched them, its head tilted to the side. Then, it took a step forward and lunged at the party.

"Run!" Bruce cried. And he took off, running past everyone else.

One of the crewmen turned around to fire his machine gun at the creature. At first, the bullets slowed it down, but the lizard kept coming.

Jack grabbed Ann by the hand and started running, motioning for everyone to follow, which they did with no hesitance. "Here we go again," he muttered, turning to take a shot at the creature with his gun.

"What _is _that thing?" Darby cried, catching up to Jack and Ann.

"It's a dinosaur," Jack explained quickly.

Darby started to reply, but Ann cut the young sailor off. "Just run, Darby!"

(LINE)

At first, things were starting to look up for Captain Englehorn and his party. Superior weapons were winning out over superior numbers. Not a single member of the rescue party had been injured, and at least twenty natives had fallen in the clearing. It wasn't long before the gunfire ceased.

Clytie felt the captain's hold loosen on her, and she took a tentative step away from him, peering into the clearing. "Is that all?" she whispered.

"It can't be," Preston replied quietly. "It's never that easy here. There's no way we escaped with that few casualties, not a single injury."

"Maybe it's different this time," Jimmy spoke up.

Suddenly, there was a loud crashing sound from deeper in the jungle, then a pounding sound, and the earth shook.

"You spoke too soon," Englehorn said to Jimmy. He looked past his men. The trees were swaying. Something very large was moving toward them. The captain moved closer to Clytie. "We need to get out of here," he announced. "I don't want to have to face whatever that thing is."

"No objections here!" Jake exclaimed. His long, thin face was pale.

"Come on. Let's move." Englehorn slipped an arm around Clytie's shoulder and carried his machine gun with the other hand. "Back into the clearing."

The small party advanced into the clearing, and the captain led them across to the other side.

Clytie glanced over her shoulder. Emerging from the jungle was a gigantic reptile. She barely bit back a scream as she turned from the terrifying sight. "Eric… behind us!"

"I know. Keep moving."

One of the crewmen, a man named Maxwell, turned around and panicked, freezing where he stood.

Jimmy grabbed him by the arm and tried to drag him away, but the man refused to be led. "Captain! Maxwell!" Jimmy hollered.

Englehorn and Clytie turned around. Maxwell was just standing there, staring up at the huge creature that was nearing him, ignoring Jimmy, who was tugging on his arm.

"Maxwell!" the captain shouted. "Come on!"

Maxwell still remained frozen to the ground, and the dinosaur kept coming.

"Run! That's an order!" Englehorn yelled.

Maxwell just shook his head slowly.

"Jimmy! Get out of there!" the captain cried.

Jimmy gave one last jerk on Maxwell's arm, then turned and ran. The giant reptile stood looking sideways at Maxwell for a moment, then opened its jaws, bent down, and grabbed him up.

Clytie felt a rush of adrenaline wash over her after seeing the man get eaten and started screaming and trying to turn around. She cocked her pistol, and would have started firing at the creature, but Englehorn fairly lifted her off of her feet and ran, pinning her arms to her sides.

"Clytie! It's no use! Bullets won't stop something like that!" he whispered to her as he half dragged her into the jungle.

Finally, she gave up trying to fight the dinosaur and just ran alongside the captain, letting him lead her.

Englehorn led the group into a tight spot between the trees, too tight for the big reptile to get through, and signaled for them to stop and rest. He was worried about Clytie, sure that she had never seen anyone killed so violently before. "Sit down," he said quietly, leading her to the base of a large tree.

Clytie sank down, leaning against the tree trunk. She still felt like fighting that dinosaur. Her blood was rushing through her veins, her breath coming quickly.

Englehorn studied her carefully. "I think there's a bit of berserker in you, Clytie Seaborne," he said sternly. "You need to learn how to stay calm in dangerous situations like that, do you hear me?"

She took a deep breath and let it out, trying to release the tension in her body. "I'm sorry, Eric," she whispered. "I don't know what came over me. Once upon a time, you congratulated me for remaining calm, but now…" She laughed grimly. "I wasn't very calm, was I?"

To her surprise, he smiled at her. "You're a fighter, Clytie. You just need to learn how to control that fighting instinct." Then he frowned, thinking of Maxwell.

"I never should have brought you and your crew out here," Clytie said softly, reaching for his hand. She knew that he must be thinking about his crew member.

Before he could answer, Preston spoke up. "Is everyone all right?"

"Everyone but Maxwell," Englehorn replied, looking around. Clytie fancied she heard a touch of bitterness in his voice, and she winced. He glanced quickly at her. "It's not your fault, Clytie. We're here to save your brother. All of these men knew what they would be getting into. Maxwell was here last time."

They were all quiet for awhile, taking sips of water from their canteens, checking their ammunition, reloading their guns if necessary.

Clytie sat quietly under at the tree, watching the captain. What had she done? _You've put this man in danger--that's what you've done, Clytie. You should have just brought your little boat out here and looked for David alone._

(LINE)

In the hold of the _Venture_, Carl was picking the lock to the cage that held him. Across the hold, Wilson watched eagerly. "Hurry up, Carl!" the big man prodded, shaking the bars of his cage. Then he winced and reached to touch his shoulder where his captain had shot him. Just thinking about that incident made his blood boil. Englehorn was going to pay…

"Aha! I got it!" Carl exclaimed.

Wilson grinned. "Get over here and get me out, pal!" he called. "We've got some work to do!"

(LINE)

David Seaborne sat alone in his cave, as usual. This day was turning out to be the same as any other day-- a couple of near death experiences, finding barely enough food, getting horrendously dirty. He leaned his head back against the cool cave wall and sighed, closing his eyes. The first thing he saw in his mind was his sister's face. His eyes flew opened. Clytie…

Suddenly, unexplainably, he felt that she was near. Then he heard it--shouts, gunfire, and a couple of very feminine screams. David leaped to his feet and limped to the mouth of the cave (darn those natives for stealing his shoe!). He peered out at the jungle below, searching for any sign of people other than those blasted pagans! At first, he sincerely hoped that his sister had finally come to rescue him, as he had never doubted that she would. Then, a cold shiver of dread shook his frame. "Clytie, don't be a fool," he muttered. "You don't want to come to this place…" He paused for a moment, looking out at the jungle. Then he knew what he had to do. If his sister had come to save him, he would probably have to save her.

He limped deeper into his cave. "If there's one thing we Seabornes have in common, it's that damnable stubborn streak," he mumbled to himself as he gathered up some supplies for a rescue mission of his own.


	13. Family Reunion

Chapter Thirteen

"Split up! Split up!" Jack yelled to his group. "We've got to confuse that thing!"

"Got it!" Darby replied. He reached out and grabbed the nearest person by the arm. It was Bruce. "Come on, lad! To the left!" Then he ran to the left, dragging Bruce with him.

Ann and Jack kept running straight, and the rest of the party headed right.

The giant lizard remained trained on Jack and Ann.

Suddenly, Ann tripped on a root and fell, sprawling on the jungle floor. "Jack!" she screamed hoarsely.

Jack immediately ran back, firing his Tommy gun at the lizard. The lizard slowed down, giving Jack just enough time to scoop Ann up and throw her over his shoulder. Then it closed in once again.

Ann, slung over Jack's shoulder, watched in terror as the creature chased the couple through the jungle. "Jack! It's catching up! It's catching up!" she screamed.

Jack looked ahead for any place of safety to run to. At first, his search seemed hopeless, but finally, he spotted something that looked promising. "Hang on!" he called to Ann. "This could get rough!"

(LINE)

"All right, everyone--to your feet," Englehorn announced to his party.

Clytie stood slowly, brushing off her clothes. "I'm ready," she said, drawing her pistol and giving it a twirl.

Englehorn smiled crookedly as he watched her. He was ready, too--ready to kiss her again, but he knew that the time was not right. "All right, Clytie. Come on."

She walked beside him in the front of the line as they once again set out to look for David. The group advanced more slowly and cautiously this time, everyone being quite shaken and disturbed by Maxwell's sudden, violent death.

Englehorn touched Clytie's shoulder gently. "Clytie," he whispered, "You have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now."

Clytie glanced up at him in surprise. She smiled at the look in his brilliant blue eyes. "I'd like to kiss you, too," she said. "But… This isn't exactly the right moment, is it?" She glanced back at the men behind them. Jake was frowning at them. Jimmy winked at her.

"No, I guess not," the captain replied with a smile. "But as soon as we find your brother…" He left the sentence unfinished.

Now Clytie had lots of reasons to want to find David fast.

(LINE)

Jack, still carrying Ann, suddenly darted to the side and began climbing swiftly up a steep hill. Quickly, he set Ann down and took her hand. "Come on! There's a cave up there!"

"How do you know it will be safe?" Ann asked worriedly, climbing as quickly as her skirt would let her.

"I don't," Jack replied. He turned momentarily to send another round of fire at the tenacious lizard. "But it looks a heck of a lot safer than the mouth of that lizard!"

Just as Jack and Ann reached the crest of the hill, the giant lizard suddenly collapsed and rolled back down, bleeding heavily from the gunshot wounds and exhausted by the frantic climb.

Ann breathed a sigh of relief and leaned on Jack's shoulder. "Oh, Jack. That was too close."

Jack wrapped his arms around her. "But we're safe now," he whispered.

They were about to kiss, when a sudden yell startled them. Ann screamed, and Jack brandished his gun as a tall figure rushed from the cave atop the hill.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" the man cried.

Jack lowered his gun and smiled suddenly. "Well I'll be darned. David Seaborne, am I right?"

"Yes! That's me!"

Ann instantly recognized the young man from the photograph in the paper--tall, slim, strong, dark-haired, with twinkling hazel eyes. Very attractive. The only difference from the photo was his scraggly red beard and the ragged condition of his clothing. "We're here with your sister," she spoke up.

"Excellent! Excellent!" He put his hands on his hips, grinning broadly. "I knew she would come through for me!" Then he frowned. "Where is she, by the way?"

Ann and Jack exchanged a glance. "She's with the other search party," Jack explained. "We're not really sure where they are." He looked back over his shoulder. "Once it gets dark, we can use a signal flare to try and locate them."

David shook his head. "I knew something like this would happen." He turned to his cave and motioned for the Driscolls to follow. "Come on. I was getting some supplies ready for this kind of thing. Once we get everything we need, the three of us can set out to find my sister."

Jack nodded, and he and Ann followed David into the cave.

(LINE)

Clytie was beginning to get worried again. Evening was falling fast, and still, there was no sign of David other than his boot. Was it possible that he had not survived? She shuddered as she thought of Maxwell's death. Had David died in such a violent manner? _God, if David's up there in heaven, could you please let him know that we're down here looking for him? _Clytie sighed. _And that we'll probably be joining him soon?_

"I don't want us to be searching at night," Englehorn said to his party, signaling for them to stop walking. "This place seems to be the safest area we've found on this accursed island. We'll camp here for the night."

It wasn't long at all before the small group had set up camp. Jimmy had managed to start a fire in the middle of the small clearing, and there were pallets laid out in a circle around the fire. The captain quickly assigned watches, and everyone began to settle down for the night.

Clytie laid down on her pallet beside the fire. Her watch was in four hours, so she decided to go ahead and catch some sleep. A few feet away, Englehorn sat with his back against a tree, a pistol on each hip and a Tommy gun in his lap. Clytie rolled over so that her face was to him and her back to the fire. "Good-night, Eric," she said quietly.

"Good-night, Clytie," he replied. "Rest well. I'll get you up for your watch in a few hours."

She smiled at him, then closed her eyes.

It seemed that it had been only seconds until he woke her up for her watch by gently shaking her shoulder. "Clytie! Wake up!"

She sat up slowly and blinked. The sky was dark and spangled in unfamiliar constellations. It was beautiful. "Has it been quiet?" she asked, standing and stretching.

Englehorn nodded. "Only a few large insects to bother our sleep, and they were scared of the fire." He settled down against the tree again and patted the earth beside him. "Sit down with me."

Clytie sat beside him, her eyes on the starry sky. "Is it just you and me?" she asked, turning to the captain.

He smiled. "Just you and me."

"You're not on watch _all _night, are you?"

He nodded. "I have to be. These are my men." He reached to touch her face and his voice softened. "And this is you, the woman I care about."

She closed her eyes for a moment and placed her hand on his. "The woman you care about…" she repeated dreamily. When she finally opened her eyes, the look that she saw in Englehorn's eyes startled her a bit. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she whispered.

The real answer to her question shook him up inside. _Because I love you, Clytie Seaborne… _But he said, "Because you're beautiful." Which was true, but not the real reason for his adoring gaze.

Clytie smiled and bit her lip. "Well, you're very handsome yourself," she said. "You have the most beautiful blue eyes…"

The captain gently drew her close, and their lips met in a tender kiss, which soon developed into a more passionate one. Clytie felt a bit dizzy as she kissed him. She had never been kissed like this before.

Englehorn felt dizzy himself. He had kissed other women, but he had never felt so strongly about anyone like he did for Clytie. The depth of his feelings for her frightened him. He drew back from her, his eyes raking in her features. Her green eyes were huge, tinged with gold in the flickering firelight. He suddenly realized that she felt quite strongly for him, as well. _She doesn't need someone like you, Eric Englehorn, _he thought abruptly.

Suddenly, the sky lit up with a bright, pinkish light, then went dark again. Clytie and the captain leaped to their feet.

"A signal flare!" Englehorn exclaimed. He watched the sky for another, but none came. "That must be someone who doesn't know the code. Clytie."

"Yes?"

"Get a flare from my pack and bring it to me."

"All right." Clytie quickly located his pack and sifted through it for a flare. She quickly found one and brought it to him.

The captain quickly set it off and tossed it out into the jungle, making sure to throw it high enough.

For a moment, the two of them waited in silence. Clytie reached to take the captain's hand.

Then, another flare lit up the night. Englehorn quickly noted where it had come from. "Clytie, get the men up. We need to get moving toward that flare."

(LINE)

"They should be heading this way soon," Jack said to David. He peered out over the jungle. "They're in a part of the island I've never seen before."

David frowned as he looked toward the place they had seen the flare come from. "I've not been over there much myself. I've basically stayed in this area. Seemed a bit safer to stay in one area." For a short while, he stared out at the jungle, toward where his sister was, worrying about her safety. Then he shook himself. "I'm sure--I'm sure Clytie can take care of herself. She might not seem like it, but she's one tough young lady."

"We've come to realize that," Ann said with a smile. "She helped the captain a lot on the way over here."

"I'm glad," David replied. "She likes to be a part of something, helping out and all. And any ship's captain would be a fool to refuse her help. She's an excellent navigator and very good with maps."

"Actually, I think Englehorn asked her to help," Jack said with a smile.

"Really? I'm sure she liked that."

"Oh, she did." For a moment, Jack considered telling David about Clytie's relationship with the captain, but he realized that Clytie and Englehorn should be the ones to tell him about that. "She did," he repeated quietly.

Ann glanced at him quickly, glad that he didn't reveal more of the situation to David. That was up to Clytie.

(LINE)

Once again, Englehorn's party was on the move. Clytie stayed close to the captain. Her heart pounded loud and hard in her chest. She was worried for the other party, worried for David, worried for herself… But, for some reason, she was especially worried for Englehorn. Something unexplainable made her want to cling to him--and not for her own safety. Unwillingly, she remembered an incident in her childhood when she had gotten a strange feeling about her brother's safety. She had searched their house for him and finally discovered him in one of the bathrooms, crying because he had accidentally locked himself in…

As they were nearing the hill that the flare had come from, a voice called out, "Clytie! Captain!"

"Driscoll!" Englehorn called. "What's going on?"

Ann and Jack swiftly came into view, running down the hill. "We've found David!" Ann exclaimed.

A tall, slim young man emerged from the trees behind them.

Clytie gave an unintelligible shriek and darted forward, flinging herself into his arms. "David! Thank God! Are you all right?"

David grabbed her by the shoulders and held her at arms' length. "I'm fine, I'm fine." He glanced over his sister's shoulder. "So who are you? I've met the Driscolls."

Clytie turned around and saw the captain standing there. "David, this is Captain Eric Englehorn. Eric, this is my brother."

The fact that she used the man's first name was not lost on David. Neither was the way that she said it, the way she looked at the captain… David held out his hand. "David Seaborne." He studied the other man carefully. _Strong, tough, in control… I think I'll like this man…_

Englehorn shook the young man's hand, instantly noticing how much his expressions were like Clytie's. "Good to finally meet you, Mr. Seaborne. Now we can all get out of this accursed place." He looked around. "Where's Galyon?"

Ann and Jack exchanged a glance. "We don't know, Captain," Jack said. "We were split up."

Englehorn cursed under his breath. Not again.

While the captain was talking to Jack and Ann, Jake walked forward to stand by David. "I'm so glad you're all right," he told his godson quietly. "It won't be long now before we're all safe at home."

"Sounds good to me, Jake," David said with a smile.

Beside him, Clytie frowned. Home… Suddenly, she felt sad. _Am I so insane that I'm actually _enjoying _this adventure? _She glanced at Englehorn, who looked quite upset. How could she ever go back to her old life, after having met him? Surely, they wouldn't have to separate…

Englehorn noticed her watching him. "Clytie, Darby Galyon, Mr. Baxter, and some of the others are still out there," he explained, his voice low and laced with frustration.

"Oh no," Clytie breathed. She moved to stand close to the captain. Gently, she touched his shoulder. "We'll find them, Eric," she said quietly. "We found David."

David watched the two of them closely. Obviously, there was more between his sister and this German captain than a captain and passenger relationship. As they set out to find the missing rescuers, he determined to find out what was going on.

(A/N: Thanks again for all of your awesome and inspiring reviews! I love you guys! I am having so much fun with this story that I honestly don't want to ever stop writing it!)


	14. A Deal to Make, a River to Cross

Chapter Fourteen

Deep in the jungles of Skull Island, Darby Galyon and Bruce Baxter crouched in a cleft in a rock wall. Darby's green eyes were wide as he clutched his rifle and peered into the darkness. He expected some kind of freakishly large animal to attack them at any time. Bruce's expectations were quite similar.

"It can't get much worse than this, can it?" Bruce spoke up sharply. "Not only did we manage to lose our packs in that stinking river, but we're also left with only one gun."

"Well, look at it this way, Bruce," Darby cheerfully replied. "At least _I'm _the one with the gun. That should be some small comfort to you."

Bruce glared at him.

Darby smiled.

Suddenly, there was a clap of thunder.

"Heck, no! Not a storm, too!" Bruce whined.

Then, it started to rain--heavily.

The two men were quiet for awhile. Then Darby said, "At least we're dry under here. And at least nothing's come after us… yet…"

"If you say 'at least' one more time--" Bruce threatened.

"What are you gonna do, lad?" Darby asked with a smile. "I'm the one with the gun, remember?"

Bruce rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, scooting as far away from Darby as possible.

Darby sighed and shook his head. "You might as well get used to me, Mr. Baxter. Who knows how long we'll be stuck out here together." When Bruce didn't reply, he said quietly, "I'll bet the captain and Clytie'll be mounting a rescue mission to save us." He swallowed, feeling his throat start to tighten. "At least, I hope so… I've got a girl waiting for me back home."

Bruce glanced at the Irish sailor, feeling a bit guilty at having been so rude. "I, uhm, I hope they find us, too. Then you can get back to your girl, and I can get back to my acting."

Darby flashed him a smile. "That's right, Mr. Baxter. That's the way to think."

(LINE)

"There it is," Carl whispered quietly as Wilson rowed the small boat that they had stolen to shore. "Skull Island."

Wilson grunted in reply, a bit miffed at having to row the lifeboat by himself. The movie producer just sat there in the bow, staring out at the island with a mad light in his eyes, keeping his hands close to his crates of equipment. Wilson shook his head. The man was crazy. But he _did _pay well. And this little expedition _was_ going to give him a chance to get back at the captain…

(LINE)

The rescue party came to a halt by a large, wild river, swollen with rainwater. The sun was rising on Skull Island, but the rain clouds blocked much of its light, giving the jungle and river an eerie look.

"They can't have gotten much farther than this, Captain," Jimmy remarked, eyeing the river with worry.

"I agree," the captain replied. He raised his voice and said, "Comb the riverbank. There should be some sign of them around here somewhere."

The group spread across the riverbank, looking for any sign that Darby and the others had passed through this area.

Englehorn found himself approached by David Seaborne. "What is it, Mr. Seaborne?" he asked.

"Well, first of all, I'd like to thank you for coming out here for my sake," David said politely. He pulled his coat tighter, shivering a bit in the chilly rain.

"You're welcome," Englehorn replied. His eyes wandered to the river. _Actually, it was for your sister that I came, Mr. Seaborne. _

"And also… I'd like to talk with you about my sister," the young man added.

The captain glanced sharply at him. "What about your sister?"

"Well… I'd like to know exactly what your intentions toward her are, sir," David said frankly.

Englehorn raised his eyebrows. "I don't know if now is the time for that, Mr. Seaborne. We are in the middle of a search, in case you hadn't noticed."

"I have noticed," David said quietly. "But now is the time. And, you can call me David, by the way."

Englehorn stood akimbo and studied David carefully. "All right, David, if you must know… I have very strong feelings toward your sister. I care very deeply for her. She is a… very special woman. And I assure you, I would never hurt her."

David looked askance at the ship's captain. "You don't seem like the sort of man who would… fall so hard for a woman."

The captain frowned at David. "You are being very forward, Mr. Seaborne," he said, his voice low.

"Am I?" David shot back. "Clytie happens to be my sister, in case you hadn't noticed, Captain. Her well being is important to me. And I can tell by the way she looks at you that she is halfway to being in love with you, if she's not there already. If you're not going to return her affections, or if you're not good enough for her, I want you out of her life." His hazel eyes were stormy with strong emotion.

Englehorn walked to stand closer to the young archaeologist. "Do you really think that I don't return her affection?"

"You just don't seem like the kind of man who… would…" David replied, backing down a bit.

"You don't _know_ what kind of man I am," the captain snapped. Then he took a deep breath and a step back. "I admire greatly your protectiveness of your sister." He smiled briefly. "I'm a bit protective of her myself." Then he frowned again. "But listen well, Mr. Seaborne, I will do nothing to harm your sister in any way. It doesn't matter what kind of man you think I am; I care for her. And if I have to, I will prove that to you."

David smiled suddenly. "All right. How about we make a deal?"

Englehorn looked at him sideways. He was a bit wary of deals with Americans these days. "What kind of deal?"

"How about… You prove to me that you really care for my sister, and--and I won't mind you dating her," David said quickly. "And this relationship between you and her better be the serious kind, not some fling. Believe me. I _know _my sister. She's--she's not the kind of girl who would want anything less than everything. She's a good girl, Captain Englehorn."

Englehorn hesitated. Was he ready for something like this? He thought of Clytie... Yes, she was certainly a good girl. A good kisser as well… "All right. It's a deal." He held out his hand.

David grinned broadly as he shook the captain's hand. "This makes me feel a lot better, sir," he said.

"Well how do you think _I _feel about it?" said a voice from beside them.

Both men turned and exclaimed, "Clytie!"

She stood in the rain, one hand on her hip, the other carrying a pack, her expression unreadable. "Well?"

"Did you hear all of that, Clytie?" David asked sheepishly.

She nodded, looking back and forth between the two men. Finally, she settled her green eyes on Englehorn. "Uhm… I found this beside the river. It's one of their packs." She held up the pack she was carrying.

Englehorn quickly took it from her. "Good work, Clytie. Where exactly did you find it?"

Clytie pointed close to the river. "Over there." Her expression was suddenly worried. "I think… I think maybe they crossed the river."

The captain put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find them." He looked searchingly into her eyes, wondering what her feelings were about the conversation she had just heard between him and her brother.

Slowly, a smile spread across her face. "All right," she whispered. "I trust you." If her brother hadn't been standing right there, she would have kissed the man. Instead, she just walked past him, brushing agains his arm and pausing to whisper in his ear, "I still trust you, Captain, even if you and my brother _did _make deals over me like I'm some kind of horse."

(LINE)

"Look, Carl. There are their boats." As he and Carl got out of their boat, Wilson pointed to the two rowboats the rescue parties had used to get to Skull Island.

"Excellent, Joe!" Carl exclaimed, hopping to the ground. "We can definitely do something with that!" He began to unload his film equipment, while his eyes darted around for any signs of danger.

Wilson immediately began checking his weapons. Two pistols, two rifles, and a knife in each boot… He smiled, looking up at the sky and letting the rain run down his face. _I hope the island hasn't finished you yet, Captain Englehorn, because that's one thing I'd really like to do. And there will be no stopping me once I get the chance…_

(LINE)

It wasn't long before the rain slacked off, and the sun began to shine in the sky over Skull Island.

Englehorn, Clytie, David, Jack, Ann, and Preston met together by the rushing river to discuss the party's next move.

"We need to cross that river," Jack said. "If Darby and the others are on the other side, then we need to get to them."

"I agree," said the captain. "But there's a problem with that. That river is not going to be easy to cross."

They all turned to look at the river. It was flooding over its banks from the rain, and portions of it were rapids.

"I had Jimmy measure the depth," Englehorn said. "At its lowest point, it is four feet deep, and at its deepest, it is more than ten. And that is only at the edges. Who knows how deep it is out in the middle?"

"Could we… construct a raft?" Preston suggested.

"Out of what?" David replied. "What kind of supplies do we have?"

"Not the right kind to make a raft." Englehorn sighed with exasperation. "And that would take too much time."

"We're not going to have to swim across… Are we?" Ann spoke up.

"I hope not, Miss Darrow," the captain replied. He looked around at the jungle, searching for inspiration. Then, it hit him. "There are plenty of trees around here."

"So we _are_ going to make a raft?" asked Preston.

Englehorn shook his head. "No. We're going to make a bridge."

(A/N: Even though I'm not the best writer out there, and my work certainly isn't perfect (it's hard to do a King Kong sequel justice), I'm still loving writing this! Yay! Thanks for all your kind and helpful reviews! If you guys weren't reviewing, I might not have the strength to write! Thanks! M)


	15. On the Edge of Peril

Chapter Fifteen

Using machetes, the rescue party managed to cut down a tall, but slim tree. Following Englehorn's orders, they carried the tree to the narrowest spot of the river, which was about forty or fifty feet across. There, they stood the tree upright, then carefully let it fall so that it touched the other side of the river. Now they had their bridge.

Englehorn eyed the bridge cautiously. "No more than three at a time should cross," he said. "That tree is rather narrow. I certainly don't want it to snap." He was quiet suddenly, and muttered under his breath, "I've lost enough crewmen on this island…"

Only Clytie heard him say it. "I'm sorry, Eric," she said quietly.

"It's not your fault, Clytie. We've been over that before," he said sharply. _Actually, it's Carl Denham's fault, and when I get back on the ship… _He sighed. _It's partially my fault, too, for ever cooperating with that man._

"Who crosses first, Captain?" Jimmy asked.

"You should go first," the captain answered decisively, shaking himself from his thoughts. "You're probably the most nimble. You can try it out." He sighed. "Be careful, Jimmy. I don't want to have to jump in after you if you fall off that log."

"Yes, sir." Jimmy walked to the edge of the river and looked out across the log. Suddenly, memories rushed into his psyche like a mighty tide. The last time he had crossed a log on this island, he had lost his best friend--Mr. Hayes. He paused for a moment, swallowing down the feelings of sadness, loss, and fear.

"Jimmy… You okay?" asked a voice next to him.

He turned to look up at Jack. "I'm f-fine. It's just that--" His face twisted into a sad frown.

Jack immediately understood. He had been there. Gently, he patted the young sailor on the back. "It will be all right, Jimmy. Just think about now. You can do it."

Jimmy nodded quickly, thinking that this was just the sort of thing Hayes would have said to him. "Thanks, Mr. Driscoll," he said quietly. Then, he took a step forward, onto the log. Slowly, carefully, he began to walk across, holding his arms out at his sides to balance himself.

_Oh, God, please let him make it… _Clytie prayed silently, clasping her hands tightly under her chin.

Slowly, but easily, Jimmy made it across the log to the other side of the river. He smiled and waved his arms. "It's fine, Captain! I think it'll hold!"

Englehorn let out the breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. "Good. All right. Mister and Mrs. Driscoll--you go ahead." He motioned to a crewman who stood near them. "Jacobs, follow them closely."

"You go in the middle, Ann," Jack said to his wife as they approached the log. "I'll take the lead."

Ann nodded. "All right." The thought of crossing the log didn't bother her much. Her years in Vaudeville had made her strong and agile, and her balance had always been quite good.

Jack and Jacobs opted for crawling close to the log, while Ann stood upright as Jimmy had, arms extended. Slowly, they began to cross on the log.

Clytie felt less nervous this time watching. It didn't seem like a very hard task, crossing this river.

Suddenly, there was an ear-piercing shriek from the jungle behind them.

Clytie spun around.

The natives!

Englehorn quickly stepped in front of Clytie and drew his rifle, aiming it at the natives. "Get back!" he yelled at them.

David, Jake, Preston, and Schmidt, the remaining crewman, gathered around Clytie and the captain.

On the makeshift bridge, Jack made the mistake of turning to see what was happening and nearly lost his balance. Quickly, he grabbed onto the log and held on tightly, stopping his advance across.

"Jack! What--?" Ann exclaimed, coming up behind him.

"Don't turn and look, but those crazy Skull Islanders are attacking us from behind!" Jack cried.

"Well let's get going then!" Jacobs called from behind them both. "The faster we get across, the sooner we can get out our weapons and start shooting!"

"Good plan," said Jack. He was still a bit shaken from having almost fallen. "Let's go." He began crawling across the log again, this time a bit faster.

On the other side, Jimmy was brandishing his Tommy gun. "Captain!" he hollered. "What do you want me to do?"

"If they keep coming, fire at them, Jimmy!" the captain called. He turned to where the natives were slowly creeping from the trees, occasionally pausing to make horrible screeching noises. "Get back!" he yelled, pointing his rifle at the air and firing.

The natives kept coming.

Englehorn quickly handed David the rifle. "Here. Fire on my command," he ordered, taking out both of his pistols.

"Awesome rifle!" David exclaimed, smiling brightly. "Where did you get it?"

"David! We're in the middle of battle!" Clytie cried.

"Fire!" Englehorn shouted. The small party on the near bank fired--along with Jimmy on the other side.

As they were fending off the natives, the three party members crossing the river ran into a problem. A large snake had crawled onto the log and curled up around it, blocking them from crossing. They were stuck at the halfway point.

"I don't want to find out if that thing's poisonous," Jack said, backing up a bit.

"Shoot it!" Jacobs exclaimed.

"I can't! I might crack the log!" Jack shot back.

"No you won't!" the sailor snapped. He stood quickly and drew his Tommy gun, aiming over Ann and Jack at the coiled reptile.

"No! Don't!" Ann screamed.

The man rolled his eyes at her and squeezed the trigger. A burst of fire slammed into the snake, killing it instantly--and going through its body to hit the log beneath. There was a sharp popping sound.

"Hang on!" Jack shouted, turning to grab Ann with one arm and the log with the other.

Suddenly, the log, weakened by the gunfire, bowed under the weight of the three people and snapped right in front of them, where the snake had been. The makeshift bridge tilted toward the water. Jack, Ann, and Jacobs had to hang on tightly to keep from sliding into the rapids.

Jimmy instantly noticed what was going on and stopped firing at the natives. He reached into his pack for rope. "Mr. Driscoll! Here!" he shouted, running to the edge of the river. Holding tightly to one end, he tossed the other out at the three people stranded on the broken log.

As Jimmy was attempting to rescue Ann, Jack, and Jacobs, the rest of the party was managing to fend off the natives.

Clytie fired her pistol from behind Englehorn, who refused to let her in the line of fire. She was sure that if he hadn't been firing two pistols, he would have one arm around her. It made her feel safe to be near him, but once again, those feelings of dread for his safety haunted her…

(LINE)

"Do you hear that?" Carl asked as he and Wilson trudged through the jungle.

"What?" asked Wilson irritably. He was already sick of the large mosquitoes that kept buzzing around his face.

"Gunfire, I think," said Carl, panting. Carrying all this equipment by himself was almost more than he could take!

Wilson's expression brightened. "We must be close to them."

Carl nodded. "Yep. Once we get there, you do whatever you want, just as long as you let me film it."

Wilson nodded. "Certainly." He grinned. "Do you really think the film companies are going to support you if your film is really violent?"

"Sure!" Carl exclaimed. "Action and violence are what the film business is all about these days!"

"Well I can give you plenty of the latter," Wilson said.

Carl glanced sideways at his companion, suddenly a bit afraid. Somehow, he would have to get away from the man before he discovered that the checks Carl was paying him weren't any good… This man was dangerous.

(LINE)

Finally, the natives had given up and scattered into the jungle. Englehorn sighed and holstered his pistols. "All right. Let's get across that bridge." He turned around, then frowned at what he saw. The log bridge was snapped in two pieces, and one piece was starting to get dragged away by the rapids. There was no way anyone else could cross that bridge. On the other side of the river, Jimmy stood over Jack, Ann, and Jacobs, who were sitting on the ground, shivering and wet. "Jimmy!" the captain called. "What's going on?"

"There was a snake on the log, Captain, and Jacobs shot it, but he hit the log, too," Jimmy called back. "And it snapped. But I got them across, sir, with rope."

"Good work, Jimmy." Englehorn stood akimbo and surveyed the river. It was going to be difficult, dangerous, and time consuming to get everyone across using ropes…

"Some rescue mission," Jake muttered from nearby.

Englehorn and Clytie turned to glare at him at the same time. "Jake!" Clytie exclaimed. "We're trying! At least we got David back!"

Jake looked from Clytie to the captain and back again. He pointed to Englehorn, keeping his eyes on Clytie. "You're just making excuses for him," he said. "His poor leadership has caused us to suffer today." He motioned to the cracked bridge. "Wasn't that log bridge _his _idea?"

Englehorn clenched his teeth, fighting down the temptation to deck Clytie's godfather.

Clytie stepped forward. "What's your problem, Jake?" she hissed. "What do you have against Captain Englehorn?"

"Don't you mean 'Eric?'" Jake asked, his tone mocking.

"Jake!" Clytie cried, her voice tinged with sorrow and anger.

David quickly came to his sister's aid. "Jake, I definitely approve of this guy," he said. "Calm down. He's taken good care of my sister so far. Stop ragging her about it!"

Jake frowned down on his godchildren, then shook his head and turned away.

Clytie gave Englehorn an apologetic smile.

He returned it, then announced, "We'll cross on the log up until the part where it is cracked. From there, we'll have to use the ropes."

"Great," said Preston dryly. "I'm really looking forward to this."

"Preston," the captain said quickly. "You go first. Take Clytie and Jake with you."

"All right," Preston replied. He motioned to Clytie and Jake. "Come on."

"No," Clytie said, shaking her head. She moved closer to Englehorn. "I cross with Eric."

The captain glanced at her, his blue eyes narrowed. "Clytie--"

"I'm not leaving your side," she whispered.

He started to argue, then shook his head, smiling wryly. "All right. Preston, take Jake and Schmidt. Clytie, Mr. Seaborne, and I will cross last." As Preston and the other two men hurried to obey, Englehorn turned to Clytie. "If anything happens to you because of this…"

"Nothing will," she replied quickly. _Because I know you'll take care of me, even if it means compromising your own safety… Darn it. There it is again. Why do I have such a bad feeling about his safety? _

Glancing back at his goddaughter, Jake thought that this choice she had just made was symbolic of a bigger choice. She would choose this Captain Eric Englehorn no matter what Jake had to say about it. He shook his head sadly as he crouched down to cross the log behind Preston and Schmidt. She was slipping through his fingers, that girl. What would her dear, departed parents say if they knew how little control he had over their daughter? A ship's captain! A German!

Jake looked up at the sky at the sound of thunder. He winced at the feel of a raindrop on his face. Great! What a day! It was just his luck that it would storm again…

(LINE)

"What do you see?" Wilson asked Carl from where they crouched in a dense area of the jungle.

Carl looked through a camera lens at the view on the riverbank. "Looks like everyone has crossed that river but Englehorn and the Seabornes." He turned to smile at the big sailor. "Everything seems to be working well for you."

Wilson looked up from the rifle he was loading. "For you, too, Carl. I think you're going to get your film. You've already shot several dinosaurs, and now--an action scene by an exotic river." He grinned. "The film giants are going to swallow this one up. You'll be famous." _And I… I'll have my revenge… No man insults or wounds Joe Wilson without suffering the consequences…_

Carl quickly readied his camera. "I'm ready when you are."

Wilson nodded. "I'm ready." He drummed his fingers on his rifle, frowning thoughtfully. "Wait. I've got an idea."

As Wilson related his idea to Carl, Carl felt a moment of guilt. But he quickly shoved it aside in favor of his ambition…

(LINE)

Preston, Schmidt, and Jake were just getting to the other side of the river, when Clytie, Englehorn, and David were startled by the sight of Carl Denham walking out of the jungle and setting up a camera on a tripod, careful to shield it from the rain.

"Denham?" Englehorn exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"Filming," Carl said simply.

"Something's going on," Englehorn whispered to the Seaborne siblings. "Clytie, stay close to me. David, be ready to use that rifle."

Clytie silently moved close enough to the captain so that their arms were touching.

David cocked his rifle, almost hoping that he got a chance to use the well-made weapon again. "Yes, sir."

Englehorn brushed his fingers against the holts of his pistols. "Denham, what's going on? How did you get off of my ship?"

"None of your business," the short man replied sarcastically, looking at the small party through his camera.

"Captain!" Jimmy called from the other side of the river. "What's going on?"

"Stay there, Jimmy!" Englehorn replied. "Where's Wilson? Is he with you?" he asked Carl.

Carl shrugged. "He's out there somewhere," he said, motioning at a wide area of the jungle. He started to crank up the camera.

"Denham! What's going on?" Englehorn asked again, moving protectively in front of Clytie. If Wilson was really out there, the level of danger had just risen.

"I'm just shooting a film, Englehorn!" Carl replied irritably. He cursed loudly. "Can't you just leave me alone?"

Clytie knew that wasn't the whole truth. Something else was going on. "Eric…" she whispered, touching his back. "I think we need to cross the river. And fast. I don't trust this…"

"Neither do I," he said quietly. "Let's go." Out loud, he said to Carl, "All right, Denham. We'll leave you alone." For the second time in less than an hour, he resisted his inner impulse to punch someone out (Carl, this time). "Clytie, David--let's cross that river."

From his hiding place in the trees, Wilson chuckled to himself. Everything was working out perfectly.


	16. Proof of Love

Long chapter coming up! I'm so glad you guys are still enjoying this! Keep reading and reviewing, and I'll keep posting with speed! Yay! M

Chapter Sixteen

Clytie had just taken her first step on the log, when the wood beneath her exploded in a shower of splinters. She screamed and leaped back onto the riverbank, into Englehorn's arms.

The captain immediately threw himself to the ground, pulling Clytie down with him. He kept a protective arm over her back.

David knelt beside them. "What's going on?" he cried.

"Denham! Where's Wilson?" Englehorn shouted.

"I don't know! I'm just shooting a film!" Carl hollered back. _And I just filmed the wood getting shot out from under his girlfriend! Wow! What a shot--in more ways than one!_

"Englehorn!" Jack shouted from the other side of the river, running toward the water with his gun.

"Stay back!" boomed a voice from the trees. "I've got my sights trained on Miss Seaborne. Anyone tries to cross back over, and she dies."

Wilson. Englehorn clenched his fist. "Wilson!" he shouted. "This has nothing to do with Clytie! Come out and face me like a man!"

Maniacal laughter sounded from the trees. "All right, Captain, I'll take you up on that one. But be warned--any interference from your crew or your friends or anyone else, and you can kiss your girlfriend good-bye."

Englehorn climbed slowly to his feet, helping Clytie up beside him.

"I'll shoot that man," David said through his teeth. "If he hurts my sister--"

"Let me handle this, David," the captain cut him off.

"Eric…" Clytie felt as if her heart would pound from her chest. Her hands trembled madly as she grabbed onto his arm. This was it. This was why she had felt so frightened for him--Wilson… "Please… I don't want… I don't want…" She could barely speak, she was so shaken.

Impulsively, the captain held her tightly against him. Seeing her so upset disturbed him almost as much as facing Wilson. He knew that if she was harmed in any way, he would go crazy. "Clytie," he whispered, not daring to say more.

"I don't want to lose you," she replied, the words ripped breathlessly from her. She clung to him with all of her might.

"Enough of that!" Wilson barked.

Englehorn loosened his hold on Clytie and turned to see the big, bald sailor stalking from the jungle, heavily armed.

"Eric!" Clytie felt her eyes begin to sting with hot tears. What would Wilson do to him?

The captain turned to Clytie and bent to kiss her hard and fast. When he released her, they were both breathless. Then, he spun on Wilson.

The larger man was smiling crookedly and removing his coat, despite the chilly rain. Clytie felt nauseated by the sight of his bulging arm muscles. This man was really big--and most of his size comprised of muscle.

"So, Captain. You said you wanted me to face you like a man." He linked his hands together and forced them outward, cracking his knuckles. "Well here I am. Drop your weapons, I'll drop mine, and we'll fight like men." _I've been wanting this for awhile, little Captain--to give you the pounding you deserve._

(LINE)

From the far bank, the rest of the small party watched in fearful anticipation as Englehorn and Wilson set down their weapons.

"We have to do something," Jimmy kept muttering. "Wilson's not going to go for a fair fight. He'll cheat. He's not out to fight a fair fight--he's out to kill the captain. We have to do something."

Preston repeated to him at least three times, "What can we do? I seriously doubt that we can do anything without Wilson harming Englehorn or one of the Seabornes."

"Look at Carl just standing there!" Jack exclaimed, shaking his head in disgust. "He's actually filming this!"

Ann took her husband's hand. "Jack, Jimmy is right," she whispered. "We have to do something. We can't just stand here and watch." She glanced across the river just in time to see Wilson and the captain step closer to each other. Swiftly, she turned her head and buried her face in Jack's shoulder. "I _can't_ watch," she murmured. But curiosity overcame her when she heard all the men around her gasp in shock. "What?" she whispered worriedly to Jack. "What happened?"

"Wow," she heard Preston mutter from nearby. "That was a hard hit."

"Yeah, look how slowly he's getting up," Jack replied. "That had to hurt."

"Who got hit?" Ann cried.

(LINE)

Englehorn shook his stinging hand, actually surprised at how he had felled Wilson with one punch to the jaw. He was a good fighter, sure, but… He had expected Wilson to be a much harder opponent, being so big and so full of hatred. Then he realized that it wasn't over yet. Wilson was on his feet, his small eyes dark with anger.

Clytie felt a violent shiver of fear at the look she saw in Wilson's eyes. She felt David's arm slip around her shoulders. "David…" she said quietly, not sure that she could manage anything else.

"Looks like your Eric can take care of himself pretty well," David whispered encouragingly.

As soon as he said this, Englehorn sprawled at the feet of the Seabornes, his lips busted and bleeding from a hard hit.

"Eric!" Clytie bent down to help him up, but David pulled her back.

"No, Clytie! Wilson will kill you!" her brother hissed in her ear. "Stay back! This is Englehorn's fight."

The captain quickly got back to his feet, just in time to block a blow from Wilson, and the fight continued. Wilson was obviously the stronger of the two men, but Englehorn was much quicker and more agile. At first, it seemed like an evenly balanced fight.

Clytie was growing impatient, and the sight of Englehorn getting hit made her feel slightly sick. "David, Wilson put his weapons down. We can _do_ something," she whispered to her brother.

"Clytie, I don't think Wilson's dropped all his weapons," David whispered.

That made Clytie want to help the captain even more. "Let me go, David!" she exclaimed, trying to wiggle free from his grasp.

"Keep her out of this, Seaborne!" Englehorn called back to David, dodging a punch from Wilson.

David tightened his grasp on his sister. "Clytie. Be still!"

Clytie gave up struggling and settled for watching, waiting for an opportunity to somehow step in and help the man she cared so deeply about.

The fight lasted for what seemed like forever. Both of the fighters were beginning to get weary. Finally, Englehorn's stamina paid off when Wilson was knocked off balance by a blow to the nose, slipped in the mud, and fell to the ground. The big man started to get up, but fell back down, too exhausted and dizzy to do so.

"I win, Mr. Wilson," Englehorn said, standing over the fallen man. He stood straight and tall, disguising the fact that he felt awful. His mouth throbbed, and he was sure that at least half of his ribs were cracked. "Get up and get out."

Wilson slowly got to one knee, head bowed in the rain. "Where do I go, Captain?" he asked, his voice laced with anger.

"I don't care," said Englehorn. "Just as long as I never see you again, because if I do--I think I might kill you." He swore and started to turn away.

"Englehorn!" David called. "Don't turn your back on him!"

Wilson looked up, glaring at David. "Shut up!" he shouted, swaying to his feet.

Englehorn turned quickly to face Wilson. Was this fight not over _yet_?

Suddenly, a call came ringing from the far bank. "Everyone run!"

The captain spun around to see what was going on, and as soon as he did so, he repeated Jack's call. "Everybody run!"

Clytie's eyes widened at the sight of the dinosaurs rushing out from the jungle on both riverbanks. They weren't much taller than a man, but their teeth were long and sharp, as were their claws. Swiftly, Clytie drew the pistol from her belt and rushed to Englehorn's side. "What do we do?" she cried. "We can't cross the river now!"

The captain quickly grabbed up his weapons, then grabbed Clytie as well. "Come on. We'll run alongside the river. Hopefully we can stay in sight of the others." Then he started running, dragging Clytie along beside him, hoping that she didn't go berserk on him this time.

David hurried to catch up with his sister and her captain. "Captain, Wilson and Denham are coming after us!"

Englehorn glanced over his shoulder. Indeed, Wilson was following close behind, heavily armed. And trailing him was Carl, who was still carrying that accursed camera.

(LINE)

His plans ruined by that Seaborne boy and the attacking dinosaurs, Wilson was seething with anger. He had planned to fake being hurt worse than he was, then strike Englehorn when he turned his back. The knife in his right boot and the small pistol in his left had been prepared for just such a moment. Now, he was running along behind the man who should now be mortally wounded, running from creatures that should have died years ago. This was madness.

"Joe! I'm heading off to the left! I saw a really narrow place back there in the jungle! We'll be safe there!" Carl called from behind him.

"You go ahead, Carl," Wilson replied. "I'm not finished yet!"

(LINE)

Jack, Ann, Jimmy, Preston, Jake, Schmidt, and Jacobs ran as fast as they could alongside the river, trying to stay perpendicular to Englehorn and the Seabornes and far ahead of the predators that chased them. Jack, Jimmy, and Preston recognized them as raptors, just like the ones who had chased them on their previous adventure on Skull Island.

"We can shoot these guys!" Jimmy called to the rest of his group.

"I'm not going to stop running!" Jake shot back. "Not to shoot, not to do anything!" The older man's face was pale.

"You don't have to stop running," Jack added. He turned slightly and fired his gun into the pursuing reptiles. One of them fell with a screech. "See?"

(LINE)

Clytie was scared nearly out of her wits when Englehorn suddenly staggered beside her. "Eric!" she cried, pulling him back to his feet.

"I'm fine!" he panted, continuing to run.

But Clytie wasn't convinced. She was sure that he was badly hurt from his fight with Wilson. She had seen him take some mean punches.

Beside them, David turned to fire at the dinosaurs, felling two of them.

"How many are left?" Englehorn asked as the small group darted into the jungle.

"Just four on this side of the river," David replied.

"Then we can turn and fire," the captain said.

"Yes, sir," David answered.

"Now!" Englehorn shouted. The three of them quickly turned and fired at the reptiles. Three of them fell quickly, but the fourth kept coming.

And suddenly, David slipped in the mud. The raptor closed in on him.

"David!" Clytie released her grasp on Englehorn and stood over her brother. She aimed her pistol and fired, hitting the creature in the neck. The animal staggered, but kept coming.

Englehorn quickly moved to stand beside her, raising both his pistols. Together, they were able to take the raptor down. It fell to the ground inches from where David lay.

For a moment, the group of three froze, a bit in shock from yet another brush with death. Finally, Englehorn reached down to help David to his feet.

"Thanks, Clytie…Captain," David said, beaming at them.

"You're welcome," they answered in unison.

Clytie eyed the captain with concern. His breathing sounded ragged. "Eric… are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Clytie," he answered quickly. He peered through the trees at the river, hoping to spot the others on the far bank. "We've lost sight of the rest of us. We need to--"

Before he could answer, Wilson jumped out from behind a nearby tree. Clytie saw him first and screamed, "Eric! Look out!" She saw the pistol in the large man's hand and quickly aimed her pistol at Wilson. Seeing that Clytie was aiming at him, Wilson turned his gun on her and fired.

Clytie heard two shots ring out, then felt something slam into her. She was knocked to the ground. Her pistol flew from her hand, landing in the mud nearby. Quickly, she scrambled to her hands and knees and began searching around for the weapon. Her thoughts were frantic. _Have I been shot? Why don't I feel any pain? Why is everything so quiet? _She finally found her gun and stood, holding it out in front of her. To her surprise, she seemed to be standing all alone in the woods.

Where were Eric and David? And Wilson?

"Clytie. Over here." It was David's voice.

Clytie looked around, blinking the rain from her eyes, and finally spotted her brother crouched under a tree nearby. Then she saw Englehorn, lying on the ground beside the tree.

"Oh, God! Eric!" she screamed, running to his side and dropping to her knees in the mud.

His eyes were closed, but he was conscious. "I'll be fine, Clytie," he said quietly. "It's not a bad wound. I just need to rest."

"What happened? Where's Wilson?" She quickly took the captain's hand.

"Wilson's dead, Clytie," David said before Englehorn could answer. "He tried to shoot you, but the captain pushed you out of the way and took the bullet. He shot Wilson, too. In the head. Perfect shot."

"Where are you hurt?" Clytie asked Englehorn, bending over him.

"In the left shoulder. I'll be all right. I've lived through worse." He sat up on his elbows, wincing. "Just bandage it up, and I'll be able to walk."

"David, get me one of our packs," Clytie ordered. She helped Englehorn sit up against the trunk of the tree and gently began to remove his jacket. It the left collar and sleeve of it were soaked in blood. As soon as she had removed the jacket, she started unbuttoning the front of his shirt. "Eric, are you sure this is just a small wound?" she asked shakily. "There's a lot of blood."

"I've seen worse," he said from between clenched teeth. He leaned his head back against the tree. "I'll be all right."

_Well _I _haven't seen worse, _Clytie thought as she slipped his shirt from his shoulder. Her hands started to shake, and she clasped them together on her lap. _Don't cry, Clytie. Heavens, you're so weak… _"You did this for me," she whispered, her voice catching. "I can't believe it." Gently, she touched his face.

Englehorn opened his eyes and smiled crookedly at her. "David and I made that deal, remember? I had to prove how much I care for you." He looked up at David, who was kneeling beside them with a pack. "I've held up my end of the deal, Seaborne."

David nodded. "You certainly have, sir." He reached into the pack and pulled out a small metal box. "Here, Clytie. You're better with this kind of stuff than I am."

Clytie took the little First Aid kit from him and opened it. First, she took out a cotton swab and a small bottle of alcohol and started cleaning the wound in Englehorn's shoulder, front and back. "At least the bullet went through," she said quietly. "I don't think I could stand having to dig it out of you."

Englehorn winced at the sting of the medicine. "I don't think I could, either," he said lightly.

After cleaning his wound, Clytie bandaged it tightly with a long strip of gauze. As soon as she had tied it off, the bandage was already turning red. "There," she said, her voice trembling a bit. "You'll be all right now." She said it to reassure herself as much as him.

"Let me catch my breath for a few minutes, and we'll start out again," the captain said quietly. He closed his eyes again and leaned heavily against the tree.

Using more cotton swabs and alcohol, Clytie began to wash the cuts on his face.

David glanced worriedly at Clytie, then at Englehorn. "Are you sure you'll be able to walk?"

Englehorn nodded. "I'll be fine."

"Yeah, sure," David replied sarcastically. "I would be, too, if I had a hole in my shoulder, cracked ribs, and a bloody face."

The captain laughed at this, then stopped quickly, wincing. He muttered a curse under his breath. _That hurt!_

"Eric?" Clytie gently touched his arm.

"I'm _fine, _Clytie," he insisted, a bit more harshly than he had intended.

"You'd better be!" Clytie burst out suddenly. "Why did you do that, you idiot? Why?" Abruptly, uncontrollably, she was crying and laying her head against his uninjured shoulder. "Eric… You could have been killed! Don't ever do that again!"

"Shhhhh, Clytie." He managed to get his good arm around her shoulders. He gently rubbed her back and kissed her forehead. They sat like that quietly for a few minutes, then the captain announced, "We need to catch up to the others. Let's go."

As David and Clytie helped the wounded captain to his feet, David thought, _He did it. He proved how deeply he cares. And I'd say he more than cares. I'd say that was proof of love..._

(A/N: Sorry if this was a really melodramatic chapter. Personally, I love stuff like this, but I don't know if all my readers do, so... sorry if you don't. Anyway, thanks for all the encouraging and inspiring reviews! You guys keep me going! Seventeen is coming!)_  
_


	17. Speak to Me

Sorry it took me so long to update! I was having trouble logging on. But, anyways, here's Chapter Seventeen! So glad you guys are still enjoying yourselves! Keep it coming with those reviews, and I'll keep it coming with the chappies!

Chapter Seventeen

Huddled in a cave on the far side of the bank, Jack Driscoll heard gunshots from the other side of the river. He hoped they meant that Englehorn and the Seabornes were getting the better of those raptors, but he couldn't erase Wilson's hate-filled expression from his mind. Surely the big, mean sailor hadn't caught up to the captain and the others… Surely not…

"Jack, I think we need to find out what's going on over there," Jimmy spoke up from nearby.

Jack nodded. "Me, too. I'm worried for them."

Ann lifted her head from his shoulder. "Jack, how are we going to cross the river? It's flooded with rain. And those creatures are still out there!"

"We'll find a way," Jack said decidedly. "We have to."

Sitting nearby, hugging his knees to his chest, Preston thought of Clytie. Was she all right? Were her brother and her beloved captain all right? It bothered him to think that anything bad might have happened to her, his good friend. "I'm up for anything, Jack," he spoke up. "I'll even go ahead as a scout if you need me to."

"No. I'll go."

Everyone turned and looked at Jake Atkins.

"The last time I spoke to my godchildren, it was in anger," the older man said sadly. He looked horrible. His expensive suit was muddy and ragged, his thin gray hair tangled. "If anyone has to risk their life to go alone after Clytie and David… and the captain… it should be me."

Jack shook his head quickly. "No one is going alone."

"Jack," Ann said suddenly, worriedly. "Where's Jimmy?"

(LINE)

David, Clytie, and Englehorn trudged along in the rain, walking uphill, close to a tall rock wall, which gave them a little protection from the elements. David was in the lead, cheerful as usual. Clytie walked quietly in the middle, continually glancing back at Englehorn, who took up the rear.

_His face is so pale, _she thought as she looked back at him once again. _I don't think he feels half as well as he says he does. _

The captain gave her a tired smile. "Clytie, I'll be fine."

She frowned at him. "I wish I could be sure of that."

Englehorn barely heard her words. He felt utterly exhausted and dizzy, every breath stung his ribs, and his shoulder throbbed. He could feel that the bandage was already soaked in blood, but, of course, he wasn't going to tell that to Clytie. The girl worried too much about him. It wouldn't do her any good to know what kind of shape he was in. He grimaced, hating to be such a useless, pitiful wreck.

"Eric?" Clytie called back to him.

The captain stopped walking and leaned against the rock wall. "Let's--let's rest for a bit, Clytie," he panted. His knees were shaking. Angry at his weakness, he slapped his palm against the rock. That accomplished nothing except to make the sting in his ribs worse.

"David! Stop!" Clytie called to her brother, who had trotted ahead imperturbably.

The young archaeologist turned quickly around, hazel eyes wide. "What is it?"

"It's Eric. He wants to rest awhile." Clytie turned back to Englehorn and walked to his side. "Eric… What's the matter? Are you all right?"

Englehorn pressed his right palm hard against his left shoulder. "I'm fine, Clytie. Just… tired."

To Clytie's horror, there was blood leaking between his fingers. "Eric, you're not fine. Your shoulder--"

"Will be all right," he said sharply. His thoughts were getting fuzzy, and that bothered him, nearly to rage. "I've been through worse than this before. Just let me rest and I'll--I'll be fine."

David jogged back down the hill to where they stood. "Captain, if you like, I'll carry you up this hill," he volunteered.

At first, Clytie thought her brother was joking, then she realized that he was being very serious.

"I don't need you to carry me, Seaborne," Englehorn replied. He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth against a wave of pain. "I'll be--"

"Dead if you keep this up," David cut him off. "You're not fine. You won't be fine, not unless you stop walking and let us help you."

"Shut up, David," Englehorn snapped. "I'll be--" Suddenly, his knees buckled and he pitched forward.

Clytie caught him just in time and gently lowered him to the ground. Her guts twisted into knots inside her. _Oh, God, please… Don't take him away from me! _She settled him against her shoulder, upset at how weak he was.

"I guess you Seabornes were right," the captain managed with a hoarse laugh.

"That's not funny," Clytie replied, her voice breathless. She was barely holding back another set of hysterical tears.

David knelt beside Clytie and the captain. "So, Englehorn… Have you reconsidered my offer to carry you up that hill?"

(LINE)

Darby and Bruce shrunk even deeper into their hiding place as they heard the sound of movement in the trees nearby. Something was coming…

Suddenly, a human form leaped out of the trees, waving a rifle. "Mr. Galyon! Mr. Baxter!"

Bruce peered through the rain. "Is that that Jimmy kid?"

Darby immediately jumped up and ran toward the person standing in the rain. "Jimmy! You found us!"

(LINE)

Clytie and David had somehow managed to get Englehorn to his feet, and now, they were fairly dragging him up the hill, supporting him between them. At the top of the hill, fortunately, there was a small cave, occupied only by a few large insects, which Clytie quickly blew away with her pistol. Her aim was perfect. By this, David knew that she was really upset. She was a good shot to begin with, but when she was upset, she was _really _good.

Clytie and David gently lowered the captain down to the ground next to the cool wall of the cave. Clytie instantly sat down beside him, checking the new bandage on his shoulder. She shuddered. It was already darkening with blood. "Does it hurt?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head. "Not much anymore. It's just numb. My ribs still hurt, though."

Clytie was quiet, listening to his breathing. It didn't sound good. "Eric, I think we might need to wrap your ribs. Your breathing sounds pretty bad. They might be broken."

He nodded absently, barely able to remain conscious.

"Clytie… I think I heard voices," David spoke up suddenly from where he stood at the mouth of the cave.

Clytie glanced sharply at her brother. "Are they nearby?"

He shook his head. "Sounded like someone was yelling… Out that way." He pointed toward an area of the jungle. He turned to meet his sister's eyes. "Clytie, I think I need to go find them, and then we can all go back to the ship."

Clytie felt a moment of panic at being left alone with the wounded Englehorn, then she took a deep breath to calm her down. "All right."

David frowned worriedly. "Will the two of you be all right by yourselves?"

Clytie held up her pistol. "We'll be fine."

Englehorn smiled groggily. "Your sister is a good shot, Mr. Seaborne. I trust her."

David nodded. "All right." He picked up one of the packs and hoisted it over his shoulder, then took up a Tommy gun. "Bye, sis. Take care of the captain."

(LINE)

"Eric, let me see your ribs."

Englehorn nodded quickly and leaned back against the cave wall. "All right, Clytie."

His meekness surprised her--and worried her. Gently, she began to unbutton the front of his shirt. Her fingers trembled slightly. Finally, she had his shirt opened. She winced at the dark bruises on his lean, strong body. Obviously, he had taken a rough beating from Joe Wilson, even though in the end, he had emerged the victor. "You definitely need these ribs wrapped," Clytie said softly, reaching for her pack.

He nodded dazedly, trying to focus, to stay conscious.

Carefully, Clytie began winding long strips of gauze around the captain's waist. She hoped that this would keep his ribs from shifting and doing damage to his lungs.

Englehorn sighed and closed his eyes. The cool touch of her fingers felt good on his feverish skin. Everything about her was soothing, even the quiet sound of her breathing.

After finishing with the bandage, Clytie rocked back on her heels and sighed. "There. That should help," she said quietly.

Englehorn opened his eyes and looked at her, smiling weakly. "Thank-you," he said. He reached impulsively and took her hand, drawing it to his lips. Her breath stilled as he kissed the back of her hand, then turned it over to kiss her palm, then her wrist. Then, wincing, he set her hand down on his chest and dropped his own, closing his eyes. "Speak to me, Clytie," he whispered. "Tell me something. I want to hear your voice."

Clytie swallowed, moved by this sudden show of emotion from him. Softly, gently, she settled down at his side, leaving her hand on his chest. "What would you like me to say?" she asked quietly.

"Anything… Just to hear you… would be… wonderful…" he managed breathlessly.

She reached to touch his forehead, which was startlingly warm. "All right. Let me get you some water first." She reached behind her, not leaving his side, to fetch a canteen from her pack. Then she held it to his lips. "You're burning up, Eric," she said quietly. "You've got a fever."

His reply was a short nod.

Clytie reached into her pack for more bandages and soaked one in the cool water. She gently ran it over his face. Then she remembered his request for her to talk to him. "When I was a little girl," she started softly, "Jake took me to the ocean all the time. Me and David…" Quietly, she began to tell him about her life, little stories about her and David as children, her teenage dreams and plans, her career as a marine biologist. "And that shoe!" she said after awhile, smiling. "I knew it was David's! He's such a slob, leaving his stuff lying around everywhere. I don't know how many times I've tripped over that silly boot!"

Englehorn chuckled softly.

"And then there's you, Eric," she said suddenly, her voice changing in tone.

He glanced quickly at her, taking in the haunting, almost other-worldly look in her eyes.

"When I first met you on the docks, you were so--so impressive, so… alluring… captivating." She smiled. "Your eyes… They drew me in, made me want to know you, want to be around you, want to watch you. But at the same time, I was afraid, like I told Jimmy that time when you were eavesdropping on us. I was afraid of this powerful attraction to you." She sighed and looked down at him. "I'm not afraid anymore," she whispered. "That day when you saved my life, I knew I did not have to fear you or my feelings for you."

The captain closed his eyes, smiling crookedly. "Tell me more, Miss Seaborne. You are an excellent story-teller."

(LINE)

Trekking through the rain and mud, David searched frantically for any sign of the rest of the rescue party. He knew he had heard their voices. So where were they?

He began to move faster, his heart rate ascending. He was desperately worried about his sister's captain. The man was tough, true, but… He was badly wounded. He really needed to be on his ship, leaving Skull Island, hopefully for somewhere with a good hospital.

Suddenly, there was a low growl in the bushes just behind David. He stopped jogging and slipped his finger onto the trigger of his Thompson, swearing under his breath. "Come and get me. I dare you," he said from between clenched teeth. He had lived long enough on this hell-of-an-island to know that pretty much anything that growled wanted to eat you…

(LINE)

Jimmy quickly led Darby and Bruce back to the others.

Jack jumped to his feet from where he had been sitting on a rock. "Jimmy! Where were you?" His brown eyes widened. "Darby! Bruce!"

"I noticed some footprints back there," Jimmy explained with a shrug. "So I just… went after them."

"Where's the captain?" Darby asked immediately.

"And that Seaborne gal?" Bruce added.

Ann shook her head, crossing her arms. "We don't know. The captain and the Seabornes were on the other side of the river last we knew." She sighed. "They still may be."

"Seabornes... plural? You found Clytie's brother?" Darby asked.

Jack nodded.

"We heard gunshots," Preston said, standing up. "More than enough to deal with those raptors that just attacked us." He frowned. "I think Wilson was chasing them, the captain and the Seabornes."

Darby quickly cocked his rifle. "Well there's no time to lose, then. Let's find them."

(A/N: Sorry if this was kinda short. It just ended well right here. Chapter Eighteen is under construction!)


	18. Dusk on the Island

Chapter Eighteen

Captain Eric Englehorn had drifted into an uneasy sleep, soothed by the sound of Clytie's soft, smooth voice and the feel of her cool fingers on the bare skin of his chest. As he slept, he was plagued by strange dreams, dreams of hunting vicious creatures in the jungle, and sailing on wild seas, with whirlpools and sea monsters.

Clytie watched him sleep, staying close beside him, listening to him mutter in German and English. Nothing he said was connected, at least, nothing he said in English. Clytie's German wasn't very good.

Suddenly, the captain tried to sit up in his sleep, talking loudly in his sleep, unfortunately for Clytie, in German.

"Lay down, Eric," Clytie said, trying to hold him down, worried that he would injure himself in his sleep.

He was too strong for her, shoving her aside in his sleep, blue eyes squeezed shut. Soon, he was on one knee.

Clytie could see that he was trying to get to his feet. "Eric!" she called to him, grabbing onto his uninjured shoulder. "Eric! Wake up! You're dreaming!"

He suddenly turned on her, and with surprising strength, gripped her shoulders, talking speedily and angrily to her in German.

"Ow!" Clytie cried. His grip was hard on her shoulders. She was sure he was bruising her. "Eric! Wake up!" Reacting quickly, she slapped his cheek.

Englehorn's eyes flew opened with a start, his hold on Clytie immediately loosening. He looked around for a moment, wide-eyed and disoriented. Then his piercing blue gaze settled on Clytie. "Clytie… What--what happened?"

"You were dreaming," she explained. "Lay back down and rest."

He looked at his hands, still grasping her shoulders. "Did I hurt you?"

Clytie hesitated. "Not really. You were dreaming."

"I'm sorry." He sighed, closing his eyes momentarily. In that moment, he looked so weary that Clytie felt her stomach constrict.

"It's okay, Eric," she said quietly. "I'm fine. _You're _not. You need to lay back down."

He rubbed her shoulders gently with his thumbs, cursing at himself in German.

"Eric… It's all _right_," Clytie insisted.

He nodded absently, his eyes taking in her face, her hair, everything about her. A sudden wave of pain washed over him, and he groaned softly. "Clytie…" he managed weakly, leaning forward and pressing his right hand against his shoulder.

Clytie quickly wrapped her arms around him, wishing that she could share her strength with him. It upset her badly to see this strong, tough man so weak that he was trembling. Her guts were knotting up inside her, and she felt close to tears. She held him close for awhile, then gently helped him to lie down on the cave floor. She glanced out at the jungle. The rain was slacking off, but it was getting dark. "I'll build us a fire, okay?" she whispered to the captain.

Englehorn nodded. "Good. Good idea." He wrapped his arms around himself and laid still, waiting for the pain to subside and his strength to return.

As Clytie set to work on building the fire, her thoughts went to David…

(LINE)

David waited quietly for the confrontation that he knew was imminent. Something was stalking him in those bushes…

Suddenly, there was a wild cry, and a man burst out of the underbrush, running and hollering and carrying something large and bulky over his shoulder. "Mr. Seaborne!" he yelled, streaking past David. "You've gotta help me! It's chasing me!"

Carl Denham.

David turned quickly to see what was chasing Carl. A giant lizard creature darted out of the bushes, hooded eyes trained on the movie producer, who was still staggering along with his camera. Then, it spotted David, poised with his Thompson, standing between it and its prey.

"Oh no," David muttered, raising his gun.

The lizard thing hissed at him, flicking its long, skinny tongue. Then it charged.

David let out a yell and squeezed the trigger of his gun. A hail of bullets slammed into the creature, and it fell quickly, its tongue batting at the air uselessly as it writhed in death.

David released a long, shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair. These close calls with giant lizards were getting old and tiring.

Suddenly, there was a crackling of twigs from behind.

David spun around, once again raising the Tommy gun.

"Hold your fire!" Carl exclaimed, holding up his hands in front of him.

David paused for a moment, still aiming the gun at Denham. He smiled wryly, thinking how much Englehorn would love to be looking down the barrel of a gun at the movie maker. It _did _give one a sense of deep satisfaction… Sighing, the young archaeologist lowered the Thompson. "What on _earth_ do you think you're doing, Denham?" he asked. "If I were you, I would go jump off a cliff or something. It would save you from a more painful death."

"I don't plan on getting eaten any time soon, thank you," Carl replied, lowering his hands and brushing off his jacket.

"I wasn't talking about getting eaten," David snapped, suddenly feeling very Englehorn-ish. Clytie's man was rubbing off on him. "I was talking about what the crew of the _Venture _is going to do to you once they find out you're still alive." He grinned. Yes, the captain would be proud of that one. When he returned with the others, he'd have to tell Englehorn about his wit…

Carl raised his eyebrows. "Thanks for the warning, Seaborne, but I think I'll make it back to New York alive."

David shrugged. "We'll find out." He turned from the movie producer and continued his jungle trek.

"Wait! Mr. Seaborne!" Carl jogged along behind him, his camera and tripod swinging awkwardly. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm looking for the others. We got separated, remember?" He shot a dark glance at the chubby little man.

Carl frowned at David's strong, slim back. "Where's Wilson?" he asked cautiously.

"Dead," David replied quickly. "He shot Englehorn. Englehorn shot him."

"So the captain's dead, too?"

"No. He's alive." David just barely resisted the urge to turn around and stick out his tongue at Denham.

"And your sister?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Denham, but she's alive as well," David said. He was feeling rather annoyed with Carl. "She's with the captain, taking care of him. He's hurt pretty badly, thanks to your buddy Wilson."

(LINE)

Englehorn had again drifted off into unconsciousness. This time, though, he was quiet and still. Clytie didn't know if this was a good sign or a bad one. She watched his face for a long time in the flickering firelight, her arms wrapped around her knees, thinking about her feelings for him and his feelings for her. She knew that she was falling in love with him--hard and fast. It would destroy her, she was sure, if she had to lose him… Quickly, she shook her head. _No, Clytie. You're not going to lose him. He's going to get well…_

She tore her eyes away from his face, forcing herself to look else where before she went crazy with worry for him. Her eyes suddenly settled on an odd marking on the opposite wall of the cave. She frowned, peering at it in the orange light of the fire. Those markings… They almost looked like drawings….

Slowly, quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping captain, Clytie stood and crossed the cave floor, her eyes glued to dark markings on the wall. As she neared them, she realized that they were carvings--obviously man-made, and very ancient. The young marine biologist quickly made out some of the shapes on the wall to stand for humans, some for animals, and some for places. She stood close to the carvings at first, tracing them with her fingers, feeling like she was touching the past. Then, it came to her. She took a couple of steps back, keeping her eyes on the wall. A slow smile touched her lips. "You were right, Clytie Seaborne," she whispered to herself. "It's a map."

"Clytie…"

She swiftly turned and went to Englehorn's side. "Are you all right, Eric?"

He was still lying down, his eyes closed. "Are we still safe?"

"Yes, Eric." She took his hand in hers. It was freezing cold. She felt his forehead. It was still hot. "Drink some more water, Captain," she said softly, sliding a hand behind his head. With that hand, she supported him, and with the other, she lifted her canteen to his lips.

"Thank-you," he said, his voice low and hoarse as he laid his head back down. He opened his eyes slowly and gave her a wry grin. "You look beautiful in the firelight," he added.

Clytie blushed. "Thank-you." She was momentarily lost in his blue, blue eyes, then shook herself. "I need to check your bandages."

Englehorn closed his eyes and nodded. "I think the one on my shoulder needs to be changed."

_Again, _Clytie thought with a frown as she opened up the medical kit. "Eric, you're losing a lot of blood."

"I know," he replied quietly, surprising her. "Clytie… We need to get off of this island."

"I agree," she answered heartily.

Suddenly, Englehorn sat up on his elbows, wincing. "Clytie, what's that on the far wall?"

Clytie glanced up from the First Aid kit. "I was just looking at that. I think it's some kind of map."

The captain studied the wall-map carefully. "That one area is this island," he said confidently. "It has to be. But if that is the island, then what--?" He broke off, wincing and holding his breath against the sharp pain in his shoulder and ribs.

"Lie down," Clytie said firmly. "You're wounded, remember?"

"How could I forget?" he replied a bit bitterly, teeth clenched.

(LINE)

If Carl Denham said one more word… David bit his lip, trying to suppress his anger. _If that fat little man says anything else about his movies or his ambition or any other kind of crap like that, I'm turning around and shooting him. _

Oblivious to how irritated his companion was growing, Carl continued to go on and on about his plans for the future, his new plans to make it big. And this time, he assured the young Seaborne, it would work.

"Shut up!" David cried, spinning around to face Carl. "I'm so sick of your mouth!" He waved his gun wildly. "You don't want me to 'accidentally' pull this trigger from agitation, do you?"

"Sorry, buddy." Carl raised his eyebrows. "Calm down. I was just--"

David held a finger to his lips. "Quiet! Just hush! I can't even hear the--" His face paled. "Oh my gosh. I can't hear the river!" Frantically, David looked around and listened. But there was neither sight nor sound of the river. "Dang it! I've lost the river!"

Carl cursed. "Some explorer _you _are," he muttered.

David looked up at the sky. The rain had slacked off, but it was getting dark. "Ah, great! I'm gonna be stuck out here with _you _at night!"

(LINE)

Ever so carefully, Jack and the others crossed the river. Fortunately for them, it was no longer raining. When they finally all stood on the near bank, Jack looked around for any sign of what had happened to Englehorn and the Seabornes.

"What direction were those gunshots coming from?" Preston asked, coming up beside him. "We should start looking there."

Jack nodded. "Good idea. Let's go." He motioned toward the direction of the gunshots. "That way." Then he started walking, Ann close by his side, and everyone else followed.

(LINE)

Clytie sat against the wall of the cave, holding the captain in her arms. She had cleaned his wounds and changed the bandages, but he was still not doing well. Now, he leaned back against her, teeth clenched, racked with fever and chills. Clytie knew that if he could make it through the fever, if the fever would break, he would have a much better chance at survival. Chewing on her bottom lip with worry, she stroked his hair and his hot forehead. _God, please… Let him make it…_

"Clytie, that map," he murmured. "There's another side… Another island…"

"Shhhhh. Save your strength, Eric. You're going to need it for the journey back to the ship," Clytie whispered. But her eyes went to the carvings on the cave wall. She squinted at it for a while, then realized that the captain was right. It looked like it represented Skull Island and _another _island. Markings showed where people were and where different types of animals were on both islands. There was also the carving of what looked like a sea monster in between the islands… Clytie shuddered.

Englehorn fought to stay conscious as another painful convulsion shook his body. He knew he couldn't take much more of this, but with such a fever, he did not want to sleep, because if he did, he feared he would not awaken. So he fought the pain and the shaking, clenching his teeth and his fists, glad for Clytie's slender arms around him. He reminded himself again that he was doing this for her. It was for Clytie. He realized with a start that if she were not a part of his life, he would not be fighting death so hard.

(LINE)

Jack led his group through the jungle, searching for any sign of their missing companions. He let Jimmy go ahead, scouting out the terrain.

Ann walked close to her husband, reaching to take his hand. "We'll find them," she said, trying to sound confident.

"I hope so," Jack replied quietly.

Ann brushed her shoulder against his arm. "We will," she said firmly. "And then we'll all get back to the ship and leave this accursed island forever."

Jack smiled down at her, encouraged by her gentle strength.

Suddenly, Jimmy came running back to the rest of the party, his eyes wide and excited. "Mr. Driscoll! Mr. Galyon! I found Wilson! He's dead! Someone shot him!"

Jack and Darby exchanged glances.

"We're on the right track then," Darby said.

"I wonder who shot him?" Bruce spoke up, looking a bit nervous.

"Probably Englehorn," said Jake Atkins quietly.

"You're right, Mr. Atkins," Darby agreed brightly. "I'm sure our captain was glad to do the honors."

"There's a trail leading from Wilson's body," Jimmy explained quickly. "Footprints… and some blood."

"Then someone else was hurt," Preston replied worriedly.

"I hope it wasn't David or Clytie," Jake muttered. He felt dreadful for having been so angry at his godchildren when last he saw them.

"We need to move fast," Jack spoke up. "If someone is wounded, we've got to consider this an emergency."

Bruce snorted. "This whole island is an emergency. We should be acting like this is an emergency already."

Jack blinked. "You know, Baxter, for once, you're right."

(LINE)

David and Carl tore through the forest, pursued by two small, but lethal-looking dinosaurs. On occasion, David turned to fire at them. Carl kept plowing ahead, clutching his camera and tripod tightly.

David wasn't really sure what direction he was running in. He had already lost his way--_again._ He was beginning to wonder how he had survived being on this island alone for so long…

"Seaborne! There's a cave up ahead!" Carl yelled from beside him.

"Good! Run into it!" David hollered back, turning to fire again at the two pursuing monsters.

"What?"

"I said run into it! Just do it, Denham!"

"But what if there are-"

"If there's anything in there, we'll deal with it! It can't be any worse than _those _guys!" he cried, motioning to the two creatures behind them.

"Right!" Carl agreed.

The two men ran uphill for a bit, then darted into the cave Carl had mentioned.

David instantly spun around and shot at the two dinosaurs. The animals slowed down, then abruptly turned and ran, apparently scared off by so much gunfire from David. David sighed and shook his head. He was getting really sick of this island…

"David!"

The young man turned around to see that he was in the cave he had left not so long ago. There was a small fire now, and there sat Clytie and Englehorn, leaning against the cave wall. Clytie had her arms around the captain, and he did not look to be doing so well.

"Well how on earth did I get back here?" David exclaimed. He crossed the cave to sit beside his sister, ignoring Carl, who was just standing there gaping at the far wall for some reason. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Clytie replied. Before Englehorn could speak, she said quickly, "He's not. We've got to get back to the ship, David." Her green eyes were large with worry.

David nodded. "I see that. With or without the others, we're getting back to that ship."

"I wish we could go tonight," Clytie said quietly. "_Now_, David." Her fear for the captain's life was escalating. His fever had still not broken.

David glanced out at the jungle. It was getting quite dark. "I don't know about that…"

"David, we have faced just as much--if not more--danger in daylight than we have at night," Clytie said sharply. "The risk is the same."

David sighed. Then he asked Englehorn, "Captain, do you think you're up to traveling tonight?"

Englehorn nodded quickly. "Right now, I would face almost anything to get back to my ship." He smiled wryly, his face drawn and pale.

"All right." David stood, stretching his long, lean limbs. "Let's get everything together and go."

Clytie suddenly realized that Carl Denham was standing in the cave. "What are _you _doing here?" she snapped.

Carl turned to raise an eyebrow at her. "I followed your brother. He saved my life out there."

Englehorn laughed hoarsely. "What a waste."

"Did either of you notice these markings on the wall?" Carl asked abruptly. "It looks like some sort of map."

"There's no time for that," David spoke up impatiently. He glanced at Englehorn. Being on the island would not be good for the health of a wounded, sick man, despite the fact that he was the strong, resourceful Captain Englehorn. His eyes met Clytie's. She knew it as well. "We have to get off of this island as soon as possible."

"I agree," came a voice from the mouth of the cave.

"Jack!" Clytie cried joyously.


	19. Or I'll Shoot You

Chapter Nineteen

The two groups reunited with hugs, handshakes, and many explanations.

Jack, Ann, Jimmy, and Darby quickly knelt by Clytie and the captain. "We need to get to the boats as soon as possible, am I right?" Jack asked, quickly assessing the situation.

Englehorn nodded, wincing. "You're right. The longer we stay on this island, the more bad things happen. Just like last time." He closed his eyes and leaned back against Clytie. "Jack, you'll have to lead them. I would do the honors, but… As you can see, I'm not fit for much of anything."

Jack nodded. "All right. I understand."

"Captain, what about you? Are you able to walk?" Jimmy asked, frowning in concern.

"I can try," he replied.

Darby studied Englehorn carefully, then shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. You're shaking like a nervous dog. We'll have to find some way to carry you to the boats."

Englehorn frowned. He didn't like the idea of being carried.

"Clytie, how are you holding out?" Ann asked her friend quietly as the men discussed various ways of transporting the injured captain.

"I'm fine," Clytie replied just as quietly. "But I'm worried about Eric. He's hurt pretty badly, Ann."

Ann was startled to see tears in Clytie's eyes. "I'm sure he'll be all right," she reassured the other girl. She glanced at Englehorn quickly. _Heavens… _

Suddenly, Preston's voice echoed through the cave. "What are _you _doing here, Carl?"

Everyone turned to look at Carl Denham, who was filming the map carved in the cave wall. Slowly, Carl stopped filming and turned around, smiling sardonically at them. "Young Mr. Seaborne there saved my life out in the jungle. So… I followed him here. I felt safe with the man. I mean, if _you _were out in the jungle, wouldn't _you _want to be close to those Seaborne crack shots and Captain Englehorn?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Carl, we _are_ in the jungle."

Darby stood slowly and walked closer to Carl. "Aren't you the one responsible for Wilson?"

Carl frowned. He could see where this was going.

"Do you see the captain?" Darby asked, his voice thick with barely controlled rage. "Do you see what Wilson did to him?"

Carl chuckled. "Did you see what Englehorn did to Wilson? That right there is the question, gentlemen."

"We saw," Jimmy spoke up, standing to join Darby. "The captain was defending himself--and Miss Seaborne."

Carl felt a moment of panic as he faced the two sailors. "Look, fellas, I didn't know Wilson would go berserk on me like that--"

"Sure you did," Preston said quickly. "You filmed it, didn't you?"

Carl swallowed tightly.

But before anyone else could say anything, Jake Atkins spoke up. "Enough of this! Let's get off of this godforsaken island once and for all. I'm sick of the place. We can discuss this issue on the ship."

"He's right," Jack said, standing and straightening. "Let's get to the boats."

Carl winced.

Jack immediately noticed his expression. "What?"

"Mr. Wilson and I… moved the boats," Carl said quietly.

"What? Where?" Jack exclaimed.

"Well… they're just… not where you left them," Carl replied.

There was a moment of silence.

"Clytie, help me stand," Englehorn whispered.

"Eric--"

"Please, Clytie," he insisted.

"All right." Clytie stood, gently pulling the captain up beside her. It was no easy task. He was still shivering with chills and quite weak from blood loss. Finally, she had him on his feet, leaning against the wall and her shoulder for support.

David noticed what was going on and quickly stood by Englehorn. "Captain, what are you doing?" he whispered.

"Someone has to do something about this," Englehorn muttered.

Before anyone could blink an eye, the captain had drawn his pistol and was aiming it at Carl Denham.

"Whoa!" Carl exclaimed. "Englehorn--!"

"Shut up," the captain snapped. "I'm sick of your nonsense. You will take us to the boats immediately, or I will shoot you."

Carl's eyes were wide. "Sure. I'll take you," he said quickly.

Englehorn nodded. "Good." He motioned to Schmidt. "Mr. Schmidt, keep an eye--and a gun--trained on Mr. Denham and keep him at the front of the line. If he tries anything, shoot him." He turned to flash a quick smile at Carl.

Carl's mouth dropped open, and he stared at Englehorn for a minute, then quickly regained his composure and turned to Schmidt.

The sailor was leveling a rifle at him.

"You're serious," Carl said to Englehorn.

The captain nodded. "You're right." He motioned with his pistol toward the mouth of the cave. "Go ahead, Carl. Lead the way."

As Carl, prodded by Schmidt, exited the cave, Englehorn closed his eyes and sighed.

"Wow," said David, impressed. "That was good."

"Thank-you," the captain replied. He opened his eyes and looked around, frowning. "We're missing a few men, Driscoll," he said. "Where are Weston and the others who were with you?"

Jack frowned. "They got separated from us a long time ago. I'm not really sure what happened to them. We never did find them."

Englehorn shook his head in frustration. "Not again…"

"I know what happened to them," Carl called back to him.

"What?" Englehorn snapped.

"They're dead," said Carl. "I stumbled across their remains not too long ago. The natives got them."

Englehorn once again closed his eyes. The faces of his men, now dead, flashed across his consciousness.

(LINE)

It was a cloudy, starless, chilly night on Skull Island as the group from the _Venture _followed Carl toward the coast. Schmidt, silent and steady, followed closely behind the movie producer, rifle ready. Behind him came Bruce and Darby, who had struck up an unlikely friendship, the actor realizing that he could learn a lot from the Irish sailor. Following them were Jack, Ann, David, Clytie, and Englehorn. The captain had refused to be carried, so those who walked close to him were helping him along, occasionally calling for breaks so that he could rest. He was still shaky with chills, and the wound in his shoulder still bled quite badly. Preston, Jimmy, Jake, and Jacobs took up the rear.

Clytie walked close by Englehorn's side, wrapping one arm carefully around his waist. She glanced up at him often, worry darkening her green eyes.

"I'll be all right," he said to her quietly as they moved slowly along.

"You'd better be," she replied fiercely.

He smiled briefly at her, hoping that she didn't notice how heavily he was leaning on her, how hard he was grasping Jack's shoulder.

David watched their exchange closely. If the captain made it--which David sincerely hoped that he would--he and Clytie would have to sort out their relationship. How could something like that work? Clytie was the privileged goddaughter of a very wealthy American man, and Englehorn was the captain of a rusty little tramp steamer, a German. David began to worry about their future together. Then he saw the way they looked at each other, the way they touched. He remembered watching Englehorn take the bullet for Clytie, watching Clytie tend to her man's wounds. The young archaeologist smiled. They certainly had a chance. Clytie wasn't the kind of girl to let something she loved get away from her without a fight. And if he understood the captain as well as he thought he did, David was sure Englehorn was the same way.

Clytie glanced back at her brother and noticed him watching her. "What, David?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing, Clytie. Just thinking."

The party moved along slowly through the jungle, soon immerging into a clearing. The giant wall was clearly visible not far ahead.

Jack noticed how pale Englehorn's face was and called for a halt. So the group rested in the shadow of the ancient, mighty wall, right near the bridge that led to the gate.

As Clytie helped him sit down slowly, the captain called up to Carl, "Denham, where are we going now?"

"Through the gate," Carl called back. "The boats aren't far from there. Joe and I found a cove in the rocks and hid them there."

"Whatever possessed you to do something like that, Carl?" Bruce asked irritably. The movie producer was just making it harder for them to get off the stupid island!

"Come one, guys," Carl chided lightly. "It was just a joke!"

"Another joke like that, and I am throwing you over the side of my ship," said Englehorn.

His crewmen cheered.

"Good one, Captain," David said. He thought for a moment to tell Englehorn of his witty conversation with Carl, but decided that now was not the time.

Clytie studied the captain's face. "Eric… How are you feeling? Be honest with me."

He smiled wryly. "I feel terrible. But not quite as bad as before." He shuddered convulsively with another violent chill. "I think I'll make it."

"Here." Clytie helped him drink from her canteen.

"Thank-you," he said quietly after drinking his fill. He closed his eyes. "I'm so weary, Clytie," he whispered.

Clytie felt her heart constrict. "Eric, we can make some sort of litter for you if you don't think you can walk."

He shook his head. "No. Just let me rest, and I'll be fine."

"All right." She tilted her head to the side to study him for a moment, admiring his stubborn determination. Then suddenly, gently, she leaned forward to kiss him on the lips.

Englehorn returned the kiss, then smiled crookedly at her when she pulled away. "I'll let that be my strength," he said softly.

After a few minutes of rest, Jack knelt beside the captain. "Captain, I think we should get moving," he said, his voice low and taut with worry. "There's something behind us. We need to get across that bridge."

Englehorn nodded. "Get them moving, Driscoll."

Jack stood and called to the group, "Let's go! We need to get across that bridge and through that gate before we rest again!"

Clytie and David helped Englehorn to his feet. The captain quickly turned to Jack. "What's behind us?" he asked.

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. Preston and Jimmy heard something back there. I don't think we should take any chances finding out what it is."

Englehorn nodded. "I agree. Let's go."

Once again, the group moved on, this time heading toward the bridge.

At the back of the line, Jimmy, Jake, Preston, and Jacobs kept glancing nervously behind them. Something was moving around in the jungle, something large. They could tell by the swaying of the treetops that it was getting closer and closer to the clearing…

(A/N: Not a long chapter, I know. Anyway, I hope you guys are still enjoying this! I'm still loving writing it! Keep up those reviews! I love 'em! Yay! Chapter Twenty is on the way, and I can promise you, it will be full of action and lots of Englehorn/Clytie interaction!)


	20. Calling Her Name

Sorry it took me so long to get this out! It's been a pretty hectic weekend.

Chapter Twenty

Carl, Darby, and Bruce were just stepping onto the bridge when a huge dinosaur burst from the jungle behind the party.

"Run! Run!" Englehorn shouted to the group.

And they did. They ran with all of their might, hopping from plank to plank across the strangely-fashioned wooden bridge.

Running along beside Jimmy and Preston, Jacobs, the sailor who had shot the snake, stumbled.

Preston and Jimmy reached to help him up, but he motioned for them to keep running. "Just go!" he yelled. He staggered to his feet, glancing behind him. The monster was close now, too close. There would be no time for him to make it across. Remembering how he was responsible for the breaking of the log bridge, Jacobs decided to make his death worth something. He suddenly dashed to the side, away from the bridge, waving his arms at the creature.

The giant reptile turned its attention on him and closed in. It opened its enormous maw to grab him up.

But Jacobs had different plans. He wasn't about to die between the jaws of a dinosaur. Feeling suddenly brave and heroic, he turned toward the cavern and threw himself into it.

The reptile reached down to bite onto him, but clamped its jaws on nothing but air. This threw the creature off balance, and it nearly fell into the cavern.

Jacobs' sacrifice had bought a lot of time for the rest of the party. Carl, Darby, Bruce, Jack, Ann, and David were already across. Clytie and Englehorn were halfway, moving more slowly because of his wounds. Jimmy, Preston, and Jake were catching up to them swiftly.

Suddenly, the pursuing reptile stepped up to the bridge and let out a deafening roar. Then, it reached out with one clawed foot and tested the strength of the bridge. The bridge jerked, throwing those standing on it off balance.

Clytie tried to stay on her feet, but ended up falling to her knees.

Englehorn reached down to steady her, but also collapsed into a kneel.

Seeing what was going on, Jimmy and Preston rushed forward, with Jake trailing behind them.

"Captain!" Jimmy called. "Hang on!"

Once again, the dinosaur tapped at the bridge with its foot. The wooden structure shook again. This time, with a scream, Clytie slid in between two of the slats. Somehow, she managed to grab onto one, and she hung on with all of her might, legs dangling over the chasm.

"Clytie!" Englehorn cried. He threw himself down against the bridge, ignoring the pain in his body, and reached down to grab hold of Clytie's arms. "Hang on! I'll pull you up!"

By this time, Jimmy, Preston, and Jake had reached them.

"Help me pull her up!" the captain yelled at them.

Hands reached down and fastened around Clytie's arms, pulling her up to safety on top of the bridge. Immediately, she fell into the captain's arms, closing her eyes, pressing her head against his right shoulder.

He whispered something to her in German. She wasn't sure what it was, but she liked it.

Then Preston said, "Uh, guys… I think we should start running again."

Clytie and Englehorn looked up and back at the reptile across the bridge. The creature was actually going to attempt crossing!

"Go!" Englehorn shouted, pointing to the other side, where Jack, Ann, and the others waited.

Jimmy and Preston helped the captain and Clytie to their feet, then the five remaining people on the bridge took off running again, leaping from slat to slat.

Still dizzy from her near fall, Clytie stumbled.

Running on adrenaline, Englehorn scooped her up in his arms and tossed her over his right shoulder.

Just as the last of the party was reaching the other side, the dinosaur stepped onto the bridge. For a moment, it seemed as if it would hold, then there was a loud crack as the bridge bowed, then snapped.

Jake and Englehorn (who was carrying Clytie) flung themselves onto the solid earth just as the bridge collapsed into the valley. The creature on top of it fell as well, flailing its limbs and roaring in rage. Its rage was useless, and it plummeted to its death, a victim of its own insatiable greed.

The party standing by the gate of the wall was quiet for a moment, watching, relieved that they were safely on the right side of the chasm.

At least, all of them were watching but Clytie, who was still slung over the captain's shoulder. Englehorn finally realized this and set her down on her feet. He then grabbed onto her shoulder and whispered to her, "I can barely stand. You'll have to help me walk."

Clytie nodded, flashing him a tender smile. "All right, Eric." She frowned suddenly at the look on his face. "You're hurting aren't you?" she asked quietly.

He nodded quickly, fairly gasping for air. "Yes. But I'll be all right."

Clytie gently slipped an arm around his lean waist. "Just lean on me," she whispered.

Jack quietly approached them. "Englehorn, should we head out now?"

The captain nodded. "Yes. Have Carl lead us to the boats," he managed breathlessly.

Jack frowned. "You sure you don't want to rest? You look worn out."

"Maybe later. We need to get to the boats as soon as possible," Englehorn replied.

"All right, Captain." Jack gave him an encouraging smile, then turned to the others. "Carl, lead us to the boats," he ordered.

Carl gave him a mock salute. "Yes, sir."

Darby quickly prodded the man with his rifle. "Get going, Denham," he snapped at him.

Carl hesitated.

"That chasm is located quite conveniently nearby," Englehorn spoke up. "We wouldn't have to go far to throw you in, which is good for an injured man like me, since I'd like to do the honors myself."

"All right, all right." Carl rolled his eyes, but started walking. He had no intentions of having to face Darby's rifle, Englehorn's pistol, or Clytie's claws. He glanced sharply at the girl. She was pressed up against the captain, obviously supporting him, her eyes glued to Englehorn's face. He shook his head. She would fight for that man, he was sure. And he didn't want to be on the receiving end of that fight, so he readily obeyed his orders, however annoying they might be.

The group followed Carl through the eerie, quiet native village, with its cave-like dwellings and skeleton-covered stakes. The people of Skull Island were obviously in hiding, now quiet afraid of these foreigners to their island.

Soon, Carl had brought the party to a small cove in the rocks. And there, bobbing on the dark water, were the lifeboats.

A cheer rang up from the party. David, Bruce, and Jimmy ran toward the boats, hollering and skipping.

Englehorn closed his eyes and leaned his head back, breathing a sigh of relief. Then, he leaned down to kiss the top of Clytie's strawberry-blonde head. "We made it," he whispered.

She smiled at him, her green eyes saying far more than could words.

Suddenly, he frowned, feeling dizziness crash over him like a mighty wave. He managed to say her name once before his knees buckled.

(LINE)

Clytie sat in the lifeboat, cradling the captain in her arms, her eyes never leaving his face. He had saved her life… How many times? And now he was unconscious, barely clinging to life.

"Row faster!" Jack called out to the men in his boat, which he shared with Clytie, Englehorn, David, Jake, Ann, and Schmidt. He eyed the captain with worry. The man had simply collapsed on the shore. Fortunately, Jake had been close enough to catch him, and together, they had managed to carry him to the boat and to lay him, of course, in Clytie's arms.

Ann sat near the couple, gently touching Clytie's shoulder. She remembered the words the two women had shared on the ship, words about falling in love, and that rainbow… She sighed, praying silently that Englehorn would be all right, for Clytie's sake.

"Is there anyone on the ship with medical training?" Clytie asked suddenly, her voice shaky as she held back a sob.

Schmidt spoke up. "The cook, Hofstetter, has some, I think. I'm not sure." He shrugged, continuing to row with strong, steady strokes.

"Good," Clytie whispered.

In his fitful sleep, the captain murmured something unintelligible.

"Shhhh," Clytie soothed. "You'll be all right." She turned to Ann, her eyes large and shiny. "Ann, will you--will you hand me one of those First Aid kits?"

Ann nodded quickly and proceeded to do so.

(LINE)

Captain Eric Englehorn dreamed that he was on the island. He was running, carrying his rifle and his pistol, not sure if he was hunting or being hunted. And he kept calling for Clytie, but for some reason, she wouldn't answer. Day and night passed by rapidly, and still he ran. The temperature was sometimes freezing cold, and he shivered. Other times, it was burning hot, and sweat dripped down his face. There was a nagging pain in his left shoulder and weakness in that arm. And his waist was stiff, ribs stinging sharply if he drew in too deep a breath.

"Clytie!" he called. When she wouldn't answer, he sometimes cursed to himself in German or muttered over and over that he _would _find her.

Then, finally, he gathered up enough courage to look over his shoulder, to see if he was being chased. And he was--by the gigantic skeleton of a huge gorilla. It took his breath away how terrifying it was. He gave a sharp cry, then turned and continued to run, knowing that it would be useless to try and fight the thing. He knew suddenly what it was. It was the ghost of Kong… haunting him once again…

And where was Clytie? Surely she could save him.

"Clytie!" he cried again, his voice echoing back to him.

(LINE)

Clytie sat in a chair by the captain's bed as he was examined by Hofstetter. Nervously, she alternated in scratching the rough arms of the chair and biting at her fingernails when they broke off.

Abruptly, the small, dark cook turned around and snapped, "Stop doing that! You're breaking my concentration!"

"Sorry," Clytie muttered dejectedly.

Hofstetter sighed, chagrined at the misery in her voice. "It's okay. Just… Don't do that anymore. You're hurting your fingers, anyway."

"Okay," Clytie replied. She opted for tapping her fingers quietly on her knees.

The cook was quiet for a long time as he examined Englehorn and changed his bandages. Then he sat back on the edge of the bed, still silent.

"So… uhm…. Is he going to be all right?" Clytie asked, her voice catching embarrassingly a number of times.

Hofstetter sighed again. "I don't know."

Clytie's eyebrows raised. "What--what does that mean?"

"It means I'm not sure," the cook replied quickly. "I never made it all the way through medical school, you know. I ran away from home to be a sailor."

Clytie stood up and walked to the side of the bed, looking down at the captain. He was still unconscious and feverish, sometimes shaking with chills, sometimes muttering in his sleep. What bothered her the most was when he called her name and she replied, but he did not seem to know that she was there. It shook her up inside, made her feel almost physically sick. "Is it possible that he will make it?" she asked quietly.

"It is possible," Hofstetter replied. "His fever is dangerously hight, his ribs are cracked in several places, and he's lost far too much blood from that shoulder wound, but…" He shrugged. "He's the captain. He's a strong man, Miss Seaborne."

Clytie nodded, sitting beside him on the bed. She gently took the captain's hand. "Yes. He's a strong man."

Englehorn muttered something then, some sentence or phrase ending in her name.

A violent sob suddenly tore from Clytie's throat and shook her whole body. She balled her hand into a fist and shoved it against her mouth, trying to hold back another sob. "I'm here, Eric!" she cried suddenly. "Don't you feel my hand?"

Hofstetter stood and patted her back awkwardly. "Miss Seaborne, maybe you should take a break," he suggested gently. "I'm worried about you."

She shook her head fiercely. "I won't leave him," she insisted. "He wouldn't leave me."

Suddenly, the ship's horn sounded. They were heading home at last.

Clytie squeezed Englehorn's hand. "We're free now, Eric," she whispered to him. "We're leaving the island." The thought came to her then that if she had never asked him to come along, he wouldn't be lying there wounded and sick. She should never have asked him. She should have come on her own. She couldn't hold back the sobs then, and she laid down at his side on the bed, weeping bitterly.

Hofstetter shook his head and backed out of the captain's cabin, nearly running into a small group of people. He turned around to face David, Jake, Jack, and Ann.

"How is he?" Ann asked quickly.

"He's in pretty bad shape, Miss Darrow," the cook explained. "There's a chance that he'll make it, and an equally large chance that he won't. It all depends on the care he receives, his constitution, and the mercy of God."

Jack studied the cook with interest. He had had no idea that the little man was so eloquent, or that he had received medical training for that matter.

"I am quite worried about Miss Seaborne, as well," Hofstetter added.

"What's wrong with my sister?" David asked quickly.

"Nothing physically," said the cook. "But the captain's condition is weighing heavily on her. She feels guilt, I believe and…" He glanced cautiously at Jake's stony face. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but… I do believe she is in love with him. If he should happen to… If he doesn't make it, it will break her."

"You're not wrong," Jake spoke up. "She _is _in love with him. That's easy to see." He was quiet for a moment, and everyone watched his face for any sign of emotion. Then he sighed, his gray eyes suddenly sad. "Cook, do whatever you can for that man. I don't want him dying in my goddaughter's arms." Then, abruptly, he turned on his heel and walked away.

(LINE)

Jimmy and Schmidt were ordered by Darby (who had taken over the position as captain) to lock Carl up in one of the cages--again. This time, they searched him before doing so, and Jimmy managed to find the pocketknife with which he had picked the lock last time.

The two sailors were none to gentle with Carl as they shoved him into the cage, making sure to pick the smallest and the smelliest.

"Come on, fellas!" Carl protested. "I led you to the boats, didn't I?"

"Yeah, only when the captain pointed his gun at your face!" Jimmy shot back. "If he hadn't threatened you, you would never have helped us find the way."

"I'll admit, I may have needed a little motivation, but--"

"Shut up, Denham!" Jimmy snapped suddenly.

"Yeah. We don't want to hear any of your trash," Schmidt added. And they left the movie producer alone in the dark.

(LINE)

Clytie had fallen asleep on the edge of the bed, unwillingly, but quickly. Exhaustion had overtaken her, and weakened by her tears, she had been unable to fight back.

David stood in the doorway of the cabin, watching his sister sleep. Seeing her there beside of Englehorn seemed so _right. _They were as they should be--together. He frowned suddenly. That little cook was right. It would tear Clytie apart if anything happened to the captain. She was like that, always had been--strong and calm, until what she loved was taken away from her. She had never been able to stand being separated from what she wanted, what she loved. Heck, that was why she had come after her _him. _Then David knew that, if Englehorn lived, Clytie would separate herself from David and Jake for the captain. She would never be able to be away from the man. She would leave with him on his ship, would always be at his side, if he let her.

David felt a moment's pain at this thought. Then he smiled. "I hope you make it, Englehorn," he whispered. "'Cause if you do, my sister will be the happiest woman in the world."

(LINE)

"Clytie…"

Clytie opened her eyes slowly. For a moment, she was disoriented, then she realized that she was lying in the captain's bed, curled up at his side. This took her aback, and she quickly sat up.

"Clytie," said his voice again.

She quickly looked at him. His eyes were still closed. She sighed. He probably didn't realize that she was there. Angrily, she swiped at the tears in her eyes. She was angry that she had allowed herself to hope.

"Are we on the _Venture_?"

Clytie gave an exclamation of delight and threw herself to her knees at his bedside. "Eric! Eric! Can you hear me?"

Slowly, ever so slowly, he opened his eyes.

Clytie had never in her life been so happy to see the color blue.

"You've been crying," he said quietly. His voice was weak, and he still trembled a bit with chills, but he was awake at last!

"Yes," she replied happily. She quickly felt his forehead. It was still warm, but not nearly as hot as it had been before. "Eric, your temperature is going down!"

He closed his eyes and frowned suddenly.

"What is it?" Clytie exclaimed, taking his hand.

"My shoulder…" He groaned. "I can feel it again."

"That's good, actually," came a voice from the doorway.

Clytie turned around. "Preston!"

"He's right," said the captain. "The pain is a sign that my nerves aren't badly damaged."

"Jack sent me to check on the two of you," Preston explained. "I take it things are going much better."

Clytie nodded quickly. "Eric's fever is going down."

"Shall I get Hofstetter to come up here?" Preston asked.

"Yes. Do that," said Clytie. "Thanks, Preston."

He gave her a quick smile and a bow, then left the captain's cabin.

Clytie turned back to Englehorn. "You're going to make it, Eric," she whispered, grasping his hand tightly.

He smiled crookedly at her. "I think I might… That is, if you kiss me again."

Clytie grinned at him, then bent down to gently kiss his lips.

(A/N: Thanks once again for reading this story--and for all of those inspiring reviews! Without them, this story would be a lot harder to write, so keep 'em coming! This is so much fun! And don't worry--there are still ten or more chapters to go, and I'm thinking of a sequel to this one, too. Anyway, thanks again! Hope you enjoy!)


	21. Blessings and Curses

Chapter Twenty-one

Darby and Robbins stood on the bridge of the _Venture, _looking out at the horizon. It wouldn't be long now before they had to go through that fog again. Darby was extremely nervous. He had never steered the ship through the fog. And here he was at the wheel, on the bridge, in the captain's position. He shook his head. _Curses on Wilson!_

Jimmy suddenly bounded onto the bridge. "Mr. Galyon, I've got a report on the captain."

"How is he?" Darby asked quickly, glancing back from the wheel at the young sailor.

"Better," Jimmy said brightly. "Much. He actually regained consciousness. And it was long enough for him to ask how the ship is running and to kiss Clytie a couple of times."

Darby nodded, smiling. "Good. So…He's going to make it, then, is he?"

"Yeah. Hofstetter says so."

"Bless that little man!" Darby exclaimed.

"Who would've ever thought that he was training to be a doctor once," Robbins remarked.

"Not me," said Jimmy. He looked at Darby. "May I go check on the captain and Miss Seaborne again, sir?"

Darby nodded. "Go."

(LINE)

Clytie quietly shut the door behind her as she left Englehorn's cabin. He was sleeping again, but this time, it was an easy sleep, free from the nightmares that had plagued him during the height of his fever. Clytie leaned back against the door, closed her eyes, and sighed with relief. She had been so scared that he would die. Sniffing a bit, she wiped at the tears in her eyes, then took a deep breath. There was no need for more tears. He would be all right now.

"Clytie?"

She opened her eyes and smiled. "Hey, Jimmy. What is it?"

He shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Just checking on you and the captain." He looked past her at the door. "How is he?"

"Much better," Clytie said, relief evident in her voice. "He'll pull through now, I'm sure."

"That's good," said Jimmy.

They were both quiet for a moment, Clytie still leaning against the door, Jimmy just standing there, eyes trained on a spot on the floor.

"Uhm, I'm going to the galley," Clytie spoke up. "I'm famished." She started to walk past him, but Jimmy reached out and grabbed her arm. Her green eyes widened in surprise. "Jimmy--?"

"Clytie… I'm glad you're okay," he said quickly. For a moment, he thought to kiss her, then stopped. This was Englehorn's woman, very much the captain's lady.

Clytie smiled, as if knowing exactly what was going on in his mind. "I'm glad you made it, too, Jimmy," she said. She looked away from him, back at the door, and her smile softened and something changed in her eyes. "And I'm so glad Eric made it."

_She'll always be his girl, _Jimmy thought. Slowly, he let go of her arm. Then he smiled. "I think Jack, Ann, and Preston are in the galley."

"Good." She gave him a quick smile. "Thanks, Jimmy." Then she was gone.

(LINE)

Jack and Ann looked up as Clytie entered the galley. Preston, sitting across from them, turned to smile at her.

"Welcome back, Clytie," he said.

"Thank-you," she replied. She went to Hofstetter to receive the inevitable bowl of porridge (never had porridge looked so appetizing), then sat down beside Preston and across from Ann.

"So… How is the captain?" Ann asked.

"He's fine," said Clytie, smiling. She lifted up a spoonful of porridge and blew on it. "I'm so relieved."

"We all are," Jack spoke up. He studied Clytie carefully, then glanced at Ann. He remembered how, when Ann had been taken by Kong, he would have done anything to get her back. Englehorn was obviously like that about Clytie. And Clytie was obviously the same about him. Jack was certain that this relationship between the ship's captain and the marine biologist was going to go far, perhaps to the edge of forever…

"After lunch, would you like to play a game of chess?" Preston asked the girl.

Clytie nodded and swallowed a bite of porridge. "I'd love to." Then she bit her lip. "But I'd like to check on Eric again, if you don't mind, before we play."

"I don't mind," Preston replied, shaking his head. "I thought you'd say that."

Suddenly, Jimmy burst into the galley. "We're going into the fog," he said. "Just thought I'd let you know." Then he darted out again.

Clytie shivered, remembering their last passage through that darkness.

Ann glanced at her and gave her an encouraging smile. She knew that Clytie was feeling the same apprehension that she was.

"I guess that cancels out a chess game," Preston said quietly. "I don't think either of us could play during the fog."

"You're right," said Clytie. She sighed, torn between going to the bridge to help Darby and going to the captain's cabin to take care of Englehorn. Her inner struggle did not last long. She quickly stood, taking her half-empty bowl back to Hofstetter. "I'm going to check on Eric," she said quickly. "If anyone wants to join me, they can…"

Jack nodded. "Ann and I might later."

"All right," Clytie said quietly. She gave them all a quick smile, then slipped out the door.

(LINE)

Captain Englehorn awoke alone in his cabin. At first, it startled him that Clytie was not in the room, and he sat up quickly, looking for her. His quick movement sent pain shooting through his shoulder and ribs, and he groaned, lying back on his pillow. As he laid there clenching his teeth, he thought that Clytie was probably not far away and that she was most likely safe, then... _Clytie? Safe? As if that girl could live five minutes without having to go on some dangerous mission to rescue someone…_

This new thought alarmed him, and he sat up again, more slowly this time. Once again, there was pain, but not nearly as much. When he finally got to his feet beside his bunk, he was gasping for breath and leaning heavily on his desk chair.

It was then when Clytie opened the door and glided into the room, wearing the green dress that she had worn the first time the captain had ever wanted to kiss her.

Her eyebrows rose. "Eric? Are you all right?"

He gave her a sardonic smile. "Delightful." Then he sat back down on the bed, wincing. "I was just about to come looking for you."

His need for her surprised and pleased Clytie. She crossed the room and sat beside him on the bed.

Englehorn smiled crookedly at her. He had never seen her move so gracefully before. The effect was feminine, attractive… stunning.

"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly. For some reason, her voice came out shaky and uncontrolled. It did something to her deep inside to know how much he wanted her, how much he needed her.

"Terrible," he replied dryly, his smile sarcastic. Then, he was suddenly serious, his blue eyes intense and almost overpowering.

"We're--we're about to go back through the fog," Clytie said, her words coming out in a rush. She blinked quickly, then looked away from him.

Englehorn reached up and turned her chin so that she was facing him. His fingers caressed her jaw and the top of her throat. She was trapped, unable to look away from him. "What's the matter, Clytie?" he asked, his voice low. "Why are you so nervous?"

"I--I don't think it's that I'm nervous," she said quickly.

"Then what is it?"

Clytie's eyes were huge. "I don't know," she said slowly. She was telling the truth. So many emotions were rushing around inside of her, that she didn't know for sure exactly what she was feeling.

"Maybe this will help you to know," Englehorn said quietly. He leaned toward her and kissed her softly on the lips, his hand tracing her face to slip behind her head, his fingers threading through her silky red-gold hair.

When he drew back from her, Clytie was disappointed. Once again, kissing him had been quite nearly magical. She hadn't wanted it to end so fast. She wanted more! Then, she noticed the sheen of sweat on his brow and the paleness of his face. She smiled softly at him. "Lie down, Eric. You're worn out."

"Before I do…" He reached to take her hand, laying it in his so that her palm faced upward. With his thumb, he traced her wrist, which sent pleasant shivers up Clytie's spine. "Before I rest… Did that help you at all?"

She nodded quickly. "It did."

"So you know now what you are feeling?"

"Yes. I do." Her voice lowered subtly, and there was a light blush on her cheeks.

The captain smiled slowly. "All right then. I can rest a satisfied man." Keeping his eyes on Clytie, he laid back down on the bunk. He was quiet for a moment, studying her. Then he sighed. "You don't have to stay here with me, Clytie. I'm sure you wish you were on the bridge right now as much as I wish I were."

Clytie took his hand and pressed it between hers. "There's no place I'd rather be than with you," she said fiercely.

He closed his eyes, frowning for a moment, hoping that she didn't notice the frown, which indicated his pain.

"Would you like some brandy?" she asked quietly.

Of course she noticed. "Yes. Just a bit. It won't take much. The pain isn't so bad."

She glanced back at him as she stood, one eyebrow raised as if to say _I know it is, Eric Englehorn. You can't fool me._

(LINE)

Darby frowned at the darkness that loomed ahead. He wished with all his Irish heart that the captain were standing beside of him--and perhaps Miss Seaborne as well. At least he had Robbins. He turned around. "Mr. Robbins--"

No Mr. Robbins.

Darby sighed and turned back to the horizon. Well, at least he had himself.

(LINE)

"Robbins! Why aren't you on the bridge with Mr. Galyon?" Preston asked as the sailor came out onto the deck.

"There was a transmission," Robbins said. His brow was creased with worry. "It was for the captain's eyes only." He held out a wadded up paper. "Will you take it to him?"

Preston nodded and took the paper, frowning. "Okay…" He tilted his head to the side. "What's going on?"

Robbins shook his head. "It's in German. I'm not quite sure, but I'll bet it's serious. The only part that was in English said not to let anyone see it but him. So… Will you take it to him?" he asked again.

"Yes. Yes." Preston nodded quickly. "Right away."

"Thanks," said the sailor. He started back toward the bridge. "I'd better get up there with Darby."

(LINE)

Clytie felt the motion of the ship change beneath her feet as she stood by the captain's bunk, watching him sleep. He had fought it, not wanting to lose consciousness in front of her. She smiled and crossed her arms. It would wound his pride for him to feel like he was weak in her eyes. _You're certainly not that, Captain. Not to me…_

The ship's engines shifted again.

Clytie was sure they were in the fog now. She went to the porthole and peered out. Sure enough, all she could see was darkness. It made her shiver. She wrapped her arms around herself and took a step back, turning once again toward Englehorn.

The memory of his kiss settled on her with a pleasant tingle. Just being near him made her feel things she had never felt before.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Clytie said.

In stepped Jake Atkins. He glanced quickly at the sleeping captain, then fixed his gaze on Clytie, who was standing in the man's cabin as if she belonged there. As if she belonged there… The thought made Jake shudder. But he forced his negative thoughts aside, cleared his throat, and asked, "How is he?"

"He's healing quite nicely now, thank-you," Clytie replied politely. Her eyes were closed to him, jade green and hard as the stone as well.

Jake looked once again at Englehorn, remembering how the man had taken a bullet for Clytie, how he had rescued her on the bridge. He sighed, resigning himself to feeling only good will toward the captain. He turned to Clytie. "Clytie… I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault Wilson--"

"That's not what I'm talking about," he interrupted.

Clytie frowned, puzzled.

"Clytie." Jake took a step forward. "I--I was never as close to you as I was to David."

"Jake--"

He held up a fine boned hand. "Just let me finish."

She crossed her arms and shifted her feet. "All right." Her eyes still revealed nothing.

"Clytie, I should have trusted you, like I trusted David. I should never have come out here, and…" He sighed, closing his clear gray eyes. "I should not have questioned your choice of a suitor."

Clytie felt as if a burden had been snatched from her back. When Jake opened his eyes, he could tell by the set of her shoulders and the relaxed positioning of her expressive hands that she was opening up to him.

"Clytie," her godfather rushed on, "You mean so much to me, you and David. You're my own, really, my children. And--and I love you. I just--I just want you to have the best, to be happy. I didn't think at first that this man could give you the best."

"Jake, sometimes the best isn't what makes you happy," Clytie said softly. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not ungrateful to you. You've always given us the best…" She sighed. "But… I love Eric. He's not rich. He put all the money Carl gave him into repairing this…" She held up her hands, motioning to the cabin walls. "This rusty little boat. It's not the best."

"But _he's_ the best, isn't he, Clytie?"

Clytie was quiet. Then she broke into a smile. "You ruined my little philosophy, Jake!" she exclaimed with a laugh. "Yes, I suppose he is." Her voice was tender, and it touched Jake deep inside. "He is the best. And he makes me happy." She looked down at Englehorn's sleeping form, and the look in her eyes changed completely. "I'll never forget when he opened his eyes," she said softly. "I didn't know if he was going to make it. He was calling my name, not knowing I was there all the time. Then he said it again and opened his eyes..."

Jake stepped forward. "Clytie," he said quietly. "You have my blessing."

She glanced sharply at him, disbelief registering in her eyes. "Do you mean that, Jake?"

He nodded. "I do."

"Oh, Jake!" Impulsively, she threw her arms around him.

Jake was startled at first, then regained his composure and returned the embrace. "Clytie, my daughter, if you want to marry this German ship's captain and sail around the world in his rusty little boat, you go ahead… If that's what makes you happy." Having said this, he drew away from her, turned, and left the cabin.

Clytie crossed her arms and watched him disappear down the hallway, then closed the door.

Almost as soon as she did so, there was a knock.

"Yes?"

"It's Preston."

"Come in."

Preston walked quickly inside the door. He glanced at the captain, then at Clytie. "Can you wake him up?"

She frowned. "Why?"

Preston held up a rather crumpled piece of paper. "It's a message--just for him."

(LINE)

David Seaborne stood at the bow of the ship, looking out at the fog--and not just looking at it, but feeling it. Its coldness seemed to seep through skin and muscle to his very bones. Something about that excited him. But as he peered through the thick darkness, something registered in his mind as being wrong. He frowned, not quite sure what was causing the sensation of wrongness.

Then it hit him with frightening clarity. "Galyon!" he cried at the top of his lungs, turning to face the bridge and waving his long arms. "Stop the ship! Stop the ship! We're going the wrong way!"

Up in the crow's nest, Jimmy was just realizing the same thing. "Mr. Galyon!" he yelled. "There's land ahead!"

In the bridge, Darby quickly saw what the other men were shouting about and hurried to stop the ship's engines, praying with all of his might that he was stopping the ship in time…

… because straight ahead was an island--the other island, the one from the wall-map Carl Denham had filmed. And they were about to crash right into it.

(A/N: I hope you guys don't mind about ten more chapters! Lol. And a sequel? What do you think? I've already got an idea for the basic plot. Anyway, thanks for keeping up with this story and reviewing! That just makes my day! Hopefully, Chapter Twenty-two will be released soon!)


	22. Another Day at Sea

Chapter Twenty-two

The ship lurched violently.

In the captain's cabin, Clytie, who had been standing beside the bed, was thrown forward. Preston, who had a good grip on the bolted down desk, caught her arm and steadied her. Clytie immediately turned to Englehorn, who was sitting up on his bunk, reading the note Preston had brought.

"Preston, go see what just happened," the captain ordered.

Preston nodded. "Yes, sir." And he hurried to obey.

Clytie immediately sat beside of Englehorn on the bed. "Eric, what's going on?"

He smiled wryly. "Do you mean the note or the fact that this ship just stopped?"

"Both," she replied.

"Well, unfortunately, Miss Seaborne, I cannot explain either to you at this moment," he said. He sighed and leaned back against the wall.

Clytie frowned. "Why not?"

"Obviously, I have no clue what is happening on my ship, seeing as I just sent Preston to find out," he explained matter-of-factly. "And then there's the note…" He crumpled it, tossed it up and caught it a few times, then launched it at the waste basket beside his desk. Of course, it landed right inside. "I can't tell you what was in that note right now, Clytie."

She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, studying the captain carefully. "Why not?"

He sighed. "Because I'm not sure what I'm going to do about it."

This frustrated Clytie. She was a naturally inquisitive person, and it bothered her that Englehorn was keeping something from her. But she bit back her curiosity and said, "All right. Just… Tell me whenever you can."

He grinned crookedly at her. "I will." Then, abruptly, he moved to stand. "I'm going out there to see what is happening on my ship."

Clytie knew better than to try and convince him otherwise. "All right. I'm going with you." She helped him stand and looped her arm tightly around his.

Preston suddenly burst back into the cabin, his eyes large and round. "Captain, Clytie--Mr. Galyon just stopped this ship because we were about to run aground on the other island."

"What?" Englehorn exclaimed.

"Somehow, our course got mixed up in the fog," Preston explained. "So now, we're just… floating at the edge of the fog. And that island is out there…"

Englehorn was already pushing past him, heading for the bridge.

(LINE)

Jack, Ann, David, and Darby (of course) were already on the bridge when the captain, Clytie, and Preston arrived.

Darby's green eyes widened in surprise. "Captain! Are you sure you can--?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Galyon," Englehorn said quickly. "What's the situation?" His blue eyes went quickly to the wheel, which was gripped in Darby's tanned hands, then back to Darby's face. Only Clytie noticed the glance.

"Well, right now, we seem to be in a bit of a fix," Darby said. "We didn't hit anything. But…" He sighed. "We have a… situation."

"What do you mean by that?" the captain asked.

"It's Jimmy, up in the crow's nest. I'm pretty sure he's still up there, but…" His eyes were dark with worry. "I can't get him to answer me. I'm afraid he knocked his head or something when we stopped so suddenly."

Englehorn stood akimbo. "Send someone up there to get him."

"There's a problem with that," said Darby grimly. "The ladder up to the nest… Well, it's real loose. It hasn't fallen yet, but… I tried going up, and it almost came down with me on it. So, I was tryin' to think of another way to get up there, but…"

"Someone light could make it, don't you think?" Ann spoke up.

Jack shook his head quickly. "Don't even think of it, Ann."

Darby rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That just might work, though."

"Well how on earth would she get him down?" Preston remarked. "That ladder would probably fall with both of them on it."

"Even if the ladder wasn't loose, it would be difficult for anyone to get him down," David added. He bit his lip, then abruptly walked out of the bridge.

Watching the young archaeologist walk out, Preston raised his eyebrows.

"He's like that," Clytie explained quickly. "He just… does what he wants. He's David." She shrugged, then returned to the matter at hand. "Well, I'd be willing to chance the ladder falling. I'll climb up there if I have to."

"No. You won't," Englehorn said firmly.

She turned on him with a crooked smile. "You'll stop me, then, will you?"

He crossed his arms. "If I have to."

"How, may I ask, do you intend to do that?" she asked, eyebrows raised, hands on her hips.

He worked his jaw, narrowing his blue eyes on her.

"Are you going to shoot me?" she continued, not being able to resist the chance to tease. "You can at least threaten me. You look so attractive when you're threatening to shoot someone."

"You are--You--" He waved his finger at her, frowning deeply, then turned his back to her, muttering in German. Clytie wasn't sure she wanted to know what he was saying. Finally, he turned around to face her. A smile was fighting for leeway at the corner of his mouth. "I'm not going to shoot you. But… I'm asking you, Miss Seaborne, to remain on the deck."

Suddenly, David burst back onto the bridge, carrying a variety of objects in his arms. "Come on. Let's get Jimmy down."

"What are you doing, Seaborne?" Englehorn asked, eyeing what David was carrying, which seemed to consist of all of the captain's rope, grappling hooks, and nets--objects which he used on live animal capture missions.

"Well, my plan is to use the hooks and ropes to get up there," said David. "Then I'll lower Jimmy down in a net if he's still unconscious."

"Actually," Darby spoke up, "We could just get someone to repair the ladder or--"

"No, that would take too long," David interrupted. "And who knows how badly Jimmy is hurt?" He grinned broadly. "And anyway, this way is much more fun."

Englehorn sighed and shook his head. "Seabornes." He nodded to David. "Go ahead with your plan. And try not to get yourself killed."

David gave him a jaunty salute. "Yes, sir."

As David exited the bridge, the captain turned to Darby. "Mr. Galyon, how do you propose to get us out of this fog?"

Darby swallowed, finding it hard to meet the captain's piercing blue stare, feeling responsible for this new predicament. "Well, I guess I'll just turn her around and go the way we came, sir, that is, after we get Jimmy down and get ready to go again."

Englehorn nodded. "All right. But this time, let's try not to run into another island." He smiled briefly, then closed his eyes and leaned against the nearest wall.

"Eric." Clytie touched his arm gently. "Are you all right? Do you want to go back to your cabin?"

He shook his head quickly. "No. I'll be fine. I'd just like a chair, if you don't mind getting me one."

"All right." Clytie searched around the bridge until she found the chair Robbins always used. She dragged it to Englehorn's side. "Here you are, Captain."

"Thanks, Clytie." He gave her a quick smile, then gingerly lowered himself into the chair. Even that slight movement pained his ribs and shoulder.

Suddenly, David's voice floated into the bridge. "I need a little help here!"

Jack, Ann, and Preston immediately rushed out of the bridge. Clytie started to follow, then glanced back at Englehorn.

"Go," he said. "I'll stay here with Darby, where I belong. Go help your brother."

She nodded to him, then ran out onto the deck.

(LINE)

David's plan had gone off quite smoothly at first. He had managed to toss a grappling hook, attached to one of the ropes, up to the crow's nest. The hook had caught on the railing quite nicely. And David had managed to climb all the way up. His arms were strong, and he was, as usual, full of energy. Once he had made it to the nest, he had quickly found Jimmy, who was slumped over in the corner, bleeding from cut on his forehead. He had tried to awaken the unconscious cabin boy to no avail. "Well, no problem. I'll use the net." So he had securely fastened Jimmy in a net, tied the net to a rope, and gently began to lower Jimmy, in the net, toward the deck.

Then, the problems began. Jimmy was a bit heavier than David had reckoned on, so the young archaeologist was leaning quite far over the railing of the crow's nest. His arms began to grow tired, and once, he nearly lost his grip on the rope he was lowering Jimmy with. Somehow, he managed to hold on, but this shook him up a bit. Finally, he finished lowering Jimmy down. He sighed and ran a hand down his face. "Good work, Seaborne." He felt his beard, frowning. "I need to shave…"

Then he remembered where he was and what he was doing. He went over to the grappling hook and swung his legs over the side, planning to grab onto the rope and slide down. He grabbed at the rope with his right hand, hanging onto the rail with his left. But when he pulled on it, the hook came loose and fell to the deck, narrowly missing Jimmy's unconscious form. And now, David was dangling from one very tired arm from the railing of the crow's nest. That was when he called for help.

(LINE)

"You can tell he's tired," Preston observed, looking up at the dangling Seaborne and shading his eyes. "His arm is shaking."

"What do we do?" Ann asked, grasping Jack's arm nervously.

Jack went over to the grappling hook and rope lying on the deck. "Ann, Preston--you take care of Jimmy. I'm going up there to get him."

Preston raised an eyebrow. "That's ironic."

As Jack attempted to toss up the hook, Ann went quickly to Jimmy's side. "Jimmy!" she called to him, shaking his arm. "Jimmy! Wake up!"

Jimmy groaned and moved his head, but did not wake up.

Preston joined Ann, followed by Clytie, who had just come out on the deck. "Let's get him inside," said Preston. He reached to grab Jimmy under the arms. Clytie quickly took the young sailor by the ankles. The two of them stood, carrying Jimmy between them, and started inside.

Ann stood, also, hesitating, glancing up at Jack, who had finally gotten the hook to stay and was climbing the rope toward David. "Be careful, Jack!" she cried. "I love you!"

(LINE)

Eventually, Jack managed to get to the top of the rope. "David!" he called to the younger man. "Hang on!" He grabbed onto the rail and began inching his way toward David, dragging the hook and rope with him. Finally, he made it to David's side. "The rope's right beside me," he said, reaching out to grab David's right arm. He pulled him up so that he could grab onto the rail.

"Thanks!" David exclaimed, smiling tiredly.

"I'm going down," Jack said, grabbing onto the rope. "Follow me."

(LINE)

Clytie, Preston, and Ann had taken Jimmy to Jack and Ann's cabin and were trying to get him to wake up. He had obviously taken a hard knock on the head, but Clytie was sure it was not life-threatening.

"Here," said Preston, coming to the bedside with a glass of water. "This might help." He dipped his fingers in the water, then sprinkled some on Jimmy's face.

It worked. Jimmy's face scrunched up into a frown, then he opened his eyes. He sat up quickly, holding a hand to his forehead. "Ow," he muttered. "My head hurts." He blinked a few times, disoriented, then looked up into the three concerned faces staring down at him. "What happened?"

"You hit your head in the crow's nest," Clytie explained. "David got you down."

"And now he's stuck," said Preston.

"And _Jack _is going after _him_," Ann added.

"Oh." Jimmy shook his head, trying to clear away the dizziness. "Well I'm very grateful to him." He frowned. "I was having a weird dream." He glanced at Clytie. "It was about that T.S. Eliot poem, the one we were reading a few weeks ago."

"_The Waste Land_?" asked Clytie.

"Yeah. That's the one." Jimmy winced. "Wow, what a headache."

"I'll get you a cold cloth," said Ann. She hurried off to wet a cloth with cold water, trying to keep her mind off of Jack and Jack's safety…

(LINE)

When David Seaborne's booted feet hit the deck, he nearly bent down to kiss it. His legs wobbled a bit, but he smiled and clapped Jack heartily on the shoulder. "Thanks a lot, Driscoll! You save my life!"

"And you saved Jimmy's," Jack replied with a smile. "Let's go see how he's doing."

(LINE)

Supper in the galley that night was full of emotion. The passengers of the _Venture _had been through so much. They talked excitedly, sharing stories and thank-you's. But beneath all the cheerfulness and high-spirits was nervousness and anxiety. No one was sure what was going to happen next. Would they make it back through the fog? Would they end up crash landed on one of the island? There was so much bad that could happen…

"Mr. Galyon says they aren't sure which direction to go in," Preston commented between bites of (more) porridge. "The fog has really messed us up."

"Yeah, it has," David said. "Clytie's got a good sense of direction, and the captain does, too, and neither of them can tell which direction we should go in." He frowned. "If only we had a map of some kind! Then we would know which direction to take…"

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

"Wait," Clytie spoke up, her voice low and serious. "We _do _have a map… Or… we _did _at least. I don't know if it works..."

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked.

"Jack, Carl filmed that map on the wall of the cave. We've got the map on board this ship!" Clytie exclaimed.

"That's right," said Ann. "Carl's film!"

"But how are we going to play it?" Jake spoke up. "We don't have a projector on board."

"Yes, we do."

Everyone turned to look at where Bruce sat by himself, eating his porridge.

"What do you mean?" Preston asked.

"I had Carl bring a projector and everything--all the equipment we need," Bruce explained matter-of-factly. "It's on this ship. I wanted to see how I looked in all the shots before production."

"Are you serious?" Jack asked.

Bruce nodded. "Yes."

Jack jumped to his feet excitedly. "Clytie, you're right! We've got our map!"

(LINE)

Captain Englehorn stood with Clytie, Jack, Ann, David, Darby and Preston in the galley, watching Carl's film. Robbins had the wheel, and Jimmy and Schmidt had Carl, tied up with rope, just outside the door.

Englehorn watched his fight with Wilson, frowning at the memory. He felt Clytie slip an arm around his waist, and his frown faded.

"You are very strong, Captain," she whispered lightly in his ear.

He was finding it very hard to concentrate on the movie. Clytie's closeness, the touch of her arm, her voice and breath in his ear… It was all very distracting. He cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes on the screen Preston had set up, willing himself to pay close attention.

Finally, the reel reached the part where Carl had filmed the cave wall. David, who was an excellent sketcher, began to quickly draw the map on a blank sheet of paper.

"There. That's where we are." Darby pointed to a spot on the screen. "That rock formation is the one we're straight across from, on this island."

"You're right, Mr. Galyon," said Englehorn. "That would mean…" He peered closely at the map. "We need to turn to port… That would be north. This map appears to be quite accurate." He glanced down at the copy David was sketching. "When you're finished with that, Mr. Seaborne, I'd like to see it. Then I can figure out exactly how many degrees we need to turn." He reached to take Clytie's hand. "Excuse me. I need to speak with Miss Seaborne for a moment. It's a bit urgent."

Everyone nodded absently, absorbed in the map on the screen.

"What I wouldn't give to explore that…" Clytie heard her brother say as Englehorn fairly dragged her out the door.

Suddenly, she felt nervous, wondering what he wanted to see her about. Did it have to do with that message he had received? She let him lead her, not really sure where they were going, her mind on that mysterious message…

Finally, the captain stopped walking.

Clytie looked around. They were in some part of the ship that she didn't recognize… "Eric, what did you want to see me about?" she asked nervously. Did he have some horrible secret to confess to her? Some stinging rebuke of her actions, perhaps (why she wasn't sure)?

"This," he said, his voice low and vibrant with emotion. He was suddenly drawing her into his arms, drawing her close, one arm around her waist, one behind her head.

And as he kissed her, she forgot everything else, including the mysterious note…

(A/N: As usual, reviews are always appreciated! And don't be disappointed that the new island didn't come into play, because it will. :) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Twenty-three is under construction!)


	23. Love and the Unmarried Seabornes

Chapter Twenty-three

After what seemed like a blissful eternity of passionate embrace, Clytie pulled back slightly from the captain. Once again, his kisses had left her dizzy, disoriented, and drunkenly happy. She shook her head to clear it, trying to grasp at common sense from the midst of her delighted daze. Finally, she realized where she was and what was going on. She blushed. "Well, Captain, that was quite urgent, wasn't it?"

He grinned crookedly. "I _had_ to kiss you. I've wanted to ever since you said you were going to climb that ladder."

She laughed softly. "And I asked you if you were going to threaten to shoot me."

He nodded. "Yes."

She sighed and leaned forward, resting her head against his strong chest, listening to his heartbeat. It felt so good standing like that, with his arms around her. She closed her eyes.

Englehorn closed his eyes as well, resting his chin on the top of her head, swaying slightly from side to side. Their embrace was almost a dance.

"Eric?" Clytie asked, her voice dreamy.

"Yes, Clytie?"

"What was in that note?" As soon as she asked, she could feel his muscles tense, and she regretted her questioning. But she _had _to know!

"Why do you want to know that, Clytie?" he asked stiffly.

"Because… It has to do with you," she answered honestly. "And I want to know everything about you."

He laughed sharply. "Do you really, Miss Seaborne?"

She pulled back from him, just enough so that she could see his face, could stare down those sharp blue eyes. "Yes. I do... _Captain._"

He pressed his lips together and looked away for a moment, quiet, and obviously bothered by something. Then he met her gaze, the look in his eyes intense. "If you must know, it was a summons, of sorts."

Clytie frowned, confused. "A summons?"

"Yes. I've been called back to New York for a… mission, if you will."

"A mission?"

"Yes. Yes, Clytie. A mission."

Her frown deepened, green eyes narrowing. "What sort of mission, Eric?"

The captain sighed, agitated that the moment, which had just been so romantic, was interrupted by business. "You know what I do, Clytie. Think. You're a scientist. This shouldn't be so hard for you."

Clytie gave him a withering glare. Then it dawned on her. "A live animal capture."

"Yes."

She cocked her head to the side. "What's so secretive about that, Eric?"

Englehorn shook his head. "Nothing, Clytie, it's just that…" Abruptly, he released her, turning his back on her and standing akimbo. He tilted back his head and closed his eyes, sighing once again.

Clytie was suddenly anxious. "Eric…" She reached out to touch him, but drew her hand back and bit her lip, not sure that he wanted to be touched.

Finally, he spun around to face her. "Don't you see, Clytie? I love you!" he exclaimed, nearly shouting. His eyes were almost unbearably intense.

Clytie gawked at him. "What… did… you… just… say?"

He took off his hat, ran a shaking hand through his blonde hair, then put his hat back on, hands on his hips once again. "I said--I love you," he repeated, not looking at her this time. His voice was strong with emotion.

"What--?"

He cut her off before she could ask any more questions. "If I take that job, I will have to leave again as soon as we get back to New York. It is a dangerous mission. I may not come back alive."

Clytie smiled weakly, still shaken by him saying that he loved her. "Yes, you will. You always survive."

He glanced sharply at her. "This time, I almost didn't."

She bit her lip and looked down. "I know. That was--"

"Not your fault. Hush." He crossed his arms and rocked back on his heels, staring at her. "Clytie, I'm afraid that if I take this job, I will lose you. In some way--whether by my death or by your forgetting me--I will lose you."

Clytie looked up at him, smiling softly. He was afraid. Afraid of losing her. That touched her deeply, almost making her want to cry. "You won't lose me, Eric. I'll go with you. I swear I will."

He raised his eyebrows, uncrossing his arms, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops. "You really mean that?" he asked, his voice low and hoarse.

Her smile widened, and her green eyes sparkled in the dim light of the deepest hold. "Yes, Captain. I do."

He stepped closer to her, reaching to touch her face. "Why, Clytie?" he whispered, lifting a strand of her red-gold hair and caressing it between his strong, rough fingers.

She closed her eyes and looked down, a tear sliding down her cheek. "You must know by now, Eric…" She met his cerulean gaze. "I love you."

"Clytie…" He hesitated, then swept her into his arms, kissing her passionately. When he finally stopped kissing her, he hugged her tightly, laughing breathlessly. "You love me?"

"Yes, I love you!" Clytie exclaimed, returning the embrace.

"Really?"

She pulled back from him, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Do I have to keep repeating myself with you? Yes! Yes! I love you!"

He grinned at her, remembering their first meeting. Then he sobered. "Clytie… I don't know if I want you to go with me…"

Clytie frowned. "Eric, I don't care. I'm going."

"It's dangerous, and--"

"What do you think this rescue mission is, Eric?" Clytie exclaimed. "I'm a grown woman. I can handle myself."

He smiled again. "That you can." Then he stepped back from her and held out his hand. "Miss Seaborne, I would be glad to have you aboard my ship on our next mission." As she shook his hand, he continued. "You are an excellent shot with a gun, a superb navigator, and…" He winked at her. "Quite attractive as well."

She grinned. "Thank-you, Captain."

He still held her hand captive in his. Suddenly, his voice was very serious, low and strong. "There is only one condition you must meet before going with me on my next voyage."

Clytie blinked. "Okay. What is it?"

"You have to marry me," Englehorn stated firmly.

Clytie's eyes went wide, her dark eyebrows raised. "Marry you?"

"Yes. I insist."

Her head was fairly spinning. "Wow. Uhm…" Then she burst into a smile so wide it hurt her cheeks. "Yes! I will! I will!"

The captain caught her up in his arms and spun her around. He finally set her down on her feet and was about to kiss her when a voice interrupted him.

"Ahem. Captain?"

Sighing with exasperation, Englehorn turned to see Jimmy walking into the section of the hold in which he and Clytie had been having their moment. "Yes, Jimmy?"

"We've got a problem," Jimmy said. He looked slightly pitiful with the bandage on his head, his eye wide.

"Another one?" Clytie asked.

"Yes."

(LINE)

"Look, Captain." Darby handed Englehorn a spyglass and pointed through the growing darkness toward the island.

The captain lifted the instrument to his eye, looked through it, then cursed. "Not again." He swiftly handed the spyglass back to Darby. "Mr. Galyon, we need to get out of here."

Darby nodded, green eyes wide. "Yes, sir. I heartily agree."

The two men walked back onto the bridge.

Clytie instantly went to Englehorn, touching his uninjured shoulder gently. "What is it, Eric?"

"It's those accursed natives again," he told her. "They're building a bonfire on the shore. And I think they are heading this way."

"There are natives on that island, too?" asked Jimmy, who was standing on the bridge beside Robbins.

"Yes," Englehorn replied. "Jimmy, go alert the crew. We're getting out of here."

(LINE)

Jack and Ann stood together on the bow deck. Jack had his arms wrapped tightly around his wife.

Ann turned to glance over her shoulder at the second island, but Jack held her even more tightly, not allowing her to turn. "No, Ann," he whispered. "Don't look back."

She nodded. "You're right. I shouldn't." She settled in his arms, closing her eyes. Even with them closed, she knew that the ship was moving deeper into the fog. Englehorn and Darby were steering the ship, trying to get out of the shroud of darkness, and Robbins was desperately trying to get the wireless to work again. It had worked just long enough to receive that message for the captain, then gone haywire again, like the instruments kept doing in the fog. Ann shuddered, remembering her first encounter with that darkness…

"It's all right, Ann. I'm right here. I've got you," Jack whispered.

And Ann smiled. His presence was always a comfort to her. He was her knight, her protector. And she loved him deeply for it…

(LINE)

Preston stood at the stern, watching the island disappear into the dark. His eyes remained fixed on the large bonfire until it could no longer be seen. Then he turned away from the railing and started walking along the deck. He noticed Jack and Ann at the bow, holding tightly to each other. He glanced up to see Jimmy in the crow's nest--again, despite his last experience there. At least this time, the ladder was fixed.

"Preston!" called a voice from behind him.

He turned around. "David. How are you?"

David was wearing his bright, charming smile. "Great, as usual. This is a fine adventure, don't you think?"

Preston studied the young archaeologist carefully, noticing his subtle resemblance to Clytie. There was something in that determined lift of the chin that smacked of Clytie-ness. "I guess you could say that," Preston replied dryly. "If it wasn't for the fact that people actually died on this mission, then I would like it much better."

"Oh." David sobered as he fell in step beside Preston. "I feel horrible about that. Those men died looking for me."

"It's not your fault, David," Preston assured him. "They knew what kind of risk they were taking." He smiled slowly. "And you sister can be quite… convincing, inspiring even."

David caught something in the other man's voice, in his expression, that he had not noticed before. "You… you really like Clytie, don't you?"

Preston glanced sharply at him. "Yes. I do."

"A lot?"

"Yes."

"I thought so." David shook his head. "Jimmy, too."

"Yes. Him, too." Preston smiled. "And certainly the captain."

"They're going to get married, I think--Clytie and Englehorn," said David matter-of-factly.

This disturbed Preston somewhere deep inside, where he still thought of Clytie romantically, but he was quite happy for her. "That's good. They're well-suited, don't you think?"

"I do," said David. He grinned crookedly. "Now it's time for me to find myself a woman."

Preston laughed. "Me, too, my friend. Join the club."

David clapped his new friend on the shoulder. "As soon as we get back to New York, me, you, Jimmy, and probably Bruce, as well, are going on a bride search!"

"Bride search!" Preston chuckled. "You have your sister's way with words, David Seaborne!" He raised his hand in a salute. "Look out, New York City! The bachelors are on their way!"

(LINE)

The _Venture _was still enshrouded in fog at midnight.

Captain Englehorn was at the wheel. Clytie was nearby, and Jimmy was running around the deck making sure that things were running smoothly. Most everyone else was asleep, save for a few crew members who were keeping the engines running.

"Eric, you look so tired," Clytie said suddenly, coming up beside him. "Maybe you should wake Darby up and have him take over for you."

The captain shook his head. "No. I'm fine. Darby said his arm was hurting him, anyway."

Clytie crossed her arms and raised a dark eyebrow. "Well what about you, dear Captain? Your shoulder? Your ribs?"

He gave her an annoyed glance, blue eyes narrowed, then turned back to the horizon and said nothing.

Clytie sighed, then moved to stand behind him. Gently, she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his lean, strong back. "I'm sorry, Eric," she said quietly. "I know it bothers you how much I worry. And I'm sure you're fine. You are a very strong man."

"Don't apologize, Clytie," he replied. "You didn't do or say anything wrong. I'm just…" He let the sentence go unfinished, turning to kiss the top of her golden head.

"I know," Clytie said. She smiled. That "you're a strong man" line had been a good move. She closed her eyes and settled contentedly against him. "I'm going to be your wife, Captain Englehorn," she said quietly.

He smiled. "I know."

"That will be nice."

"Indeed it will, Miss Seaborne."

"You won't be able to call me that anymore, Eric," she said, grinning. "You'll have to call me Mrs. Englehorn." Her grin widened. "But I'll still be able to call you 'Captain.'"

(A/N: Okay, so I decided that it was time for them to start the homeward voyage. The second island will probably come more into play in the sequel, which I am currently brainstorming. There is still lots to happen in this story, though. More romance, action, surprises, etc, probably like six or seven more chapters. Yay! I love writing this! And all your kind reviews encourage me to keep going!)


	24. Ann and Clytie

Chapter Twenty-four

When Ann Driscoll woke up the next morning, she realized suddenly that something was different. And it had nothing to do with the ship or the journey home. It was something with her… She sat up slowly, quietly, so she wouldn't wake up Jack, who was sleeping quite easily beside her. She managed to get to her feet, despite the sudden dizziness and nausea that came upon her. _I don't even feel like me… My body… It doesn't feel the way it normally does…_

There was a nagging suspicion at the back of her mind about what was going on, but she quickly pushed it away, sitting down on the edge of the bed and leaning forward. _I'm just getting a bit seasick, that's all… Although… _She frowned. _I've never been seasick before. Jack says I've got good sea legs…_

"Ann?" Jack sat up drowsily, his dark hair ruffled, his eyes squinting in the pale light. "Ann, are you all right?"

She nodded quickly. "Fine, Jack. Just a little… queasy."

Her husband frowned. "Was it something you ate for supper?"

"Jack… We all ate porridge."

"That's right." He scooted to the edge of the bed and took her hand, caressing it with his long, slender fingers. "Are you coming down with something, do you think?"

"Maybe that's it." She sighed and closed her eyes. "I think I might stay in bed today, Jack."

His brown eyes widened with worry. "Is it that bad?"

She nodded, a hand going to her stomach. "I feel pretty sick."

Jack quickly got out of bed and knelt in front of his wife, taking her hands. "Would you like me to get Hofstetter to look at you?"

Ann shook her head quickly, then hesitated. "Uhm… Well… If it gets any worse." She laid back down, smiling at the worry on Jack's face. "You're so sweet, Jack," she said softly.

He smiled down at her and bent to kiss her lips.

(LINE)

Still at the helm of his ship, Captain Englehorn shook his head, trying to stay awake. He glanced back at Clytie, who was sitting down looking at maps, to see if she had noticed his weariness. He smiled slyly. Ha! Her green eyes were still trained on the maps and charts. Surely she hadn't seen his tired gesture… He turned his gaze back to the foggy horizon. It was pale with light. Obviously, the edge of the darkness was not far ahead.

"Eric, you need to take a nap."

He winced. So she _had _noticed.

Clytie stood and walked to his side, crossing her arms. "Come on. Set a course and wake up Darby. You need some rest. And I probably need to change the bandage on your shoulder."

For a moment, he considered fighting her. He thought it rather fun to get her riled up. Then he sighed wearily. She was right, actually. He was in no shape to fight back. And he was about to fall asleep at the wheel of his ship. "You're right, Clytie," he said finally, turning to give her a crooked smile. "You're absolutely right. I don't know how much longer I can stand." Quickly, he stabilized the wheel. "Let's go."

Clytie took his hand, and they left the bridge, hurrying to the door of Darby's cabin. The captain woke up his First Mate and ordered him to the wheel, then went to his own cabin, followed by Clytie.

As soon as they reached the captain's cabin, Englehorn collapsed on his bunk with a sigh. He had been awake for far too long, and his shoulder was starting to throb again.

Clytie sat quietly beside him on the mattress. "Do you need me to check your shoulder?"

He sat up and nodded, unbuttoning his shirt and sliding the sleeve from his left shoulder.

With gentle fingers and a sharp eye, Clytie examined the bandage and the wound underneath. "It looks like it's actually starting to heal now," she said, smiling. "I think you'll live, Captain."

He smiled wryly. "I've been telling you that for a while now."

"But you _do _need a new bandage." She gently removed the bloodstained wrap from his shoulder. "I'll get to work on that right away. Lie down, Captain."

(LINE)

David, Preston, and Jimmy were in the galley, discussing their plans for a New York City vacation.

"So you think Englehorn will let you take a week off?" Preston asked the cabin boy.

Jimmy nodded. "I'm sure of it. He'll be so wrapped up in Clytie, there's no way he will notice that I'm gone. Plus, they'll probably go on a honeymoon, won't they? We can plan our trip for that week."

"Good idea," David said. "Let's do that."

"What about Bruce?" Preston asked quietly. "Do we invite him or not?"

They were all quiet for a moment. None of them really liked the arrogant peacock of an actor.

"Well… If the girls see that we're with Bruce…" Jimmy murmured.

The three young men looked at each other and grinned.

"But… Won't we be _using _him?" Preston remarked. "That's just not right…"

"Well look at all the trouble he's been!" David exclaimed. "He sort of owes us, you know?"

Jimmy laughed and leaned back against the wall. "I can see it now--all the girls of New York will be talking about it. Who were those good-looking guys walking around with Bruce Baxter?"

(LINE)

"Where are you going?"

Clytie turned around to raise an eyebrow at the captain. "I thought you were asleep."

"No." He smiled wryly. "Not yet."

She walked back into the cabin, closing the door behind her. "Are you having trouble sleeping?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I am." He sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm cold. Inside and out. And I don't like the feeling very much."

Clytie sat down on the edge of the bunk and reached for his shirt, which was slung over his desk chair. "Here. It would help if you put this back on." She turned to face him, his shirt in her upraised hand.

Suddenly, his hand closed around her wrist. "No, Clytie. Put it down. I'll be all right without it."

Frowning, confused, Clytie draped his shirt back over the chair. "Do you want a blanket? That might--"

"No." He caught her hand in his and gently began to pull her down beside him. "Stay with me for awhile, Clytie," he said quietly.

"All right," she whispered. Her heart was pounding furiously as she laid down beside him. She was sure he could hear it. She settled against his right shoulder, draping her arm across his chest. "Are you warm now?"

"Getting there." His voice vibrated through her.

"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, okay?" she whispered.

He nodded against her head, sliding his right arm under and around her, holding her close to him. He turned his face to her and gently kissed her on the lips, then closed his eyes.

Clytie smiled and closed her eyes as well. She suddenly realized that they were breathing to the same rhythm.

It wasn't long before the captain was asleep. Clytie sat up slowly and quietly, bending to kiss his forehead, then she stood and pulled his blanket over him. She watched him sleep for a moment, then turned and walked out of the cabin with a contented sigh.

(LINE)

"David, have you seen your sister lately?" Jack asked as he walked into the galley.

David raised his dark eyebrows. "No." He smiled, his hazel eyes twinkling mischievously. "I'll give you three guesses as to where I think she is."

"With the captain?"

"Right."

"All right. Thanks." He turned to leave.

"Wait, Jack," David called.

The writer turned back around.

"Why do you need her? Where's Ann? Don't you want some breakfast?"

"Ann wants to speak to Clytie," Jack explained. "She's in the cabin. She says she doesn't feel well." He glanced at the bowls of porridge that David, Preston, and Jimmy were eating from. "And… I'll wait on breakfast." He turned back around and fairly ran from the room.

(LINE)

Clytie nearly jumped out of her skin when a tall, slim shadow appeared around the corner of the hallway. She let out a hoarse cry and stumbled backward.

"It's me! It's me!"

Clytie sighed, still shaken. "Jack! You scared me! What is it?"

He looked quite jittery with agitation. "It's Ann. She's not feeling well, Clytie. She says she wants to see you."

Clytie frowned. "Not feeling well? Is she sick?"

Jack ran a long-fingered hand through his hair. "I don't know."

"Calm down." Clytie gently patted his shoulder. "I'll see what's going on."

Jack followed Clytie through the ship to the cabin he shared with Ann. "Thanks, Clytie," he said quietly. "For some reason, she _really _wants to see you."

Clytie gave him an encouraging smile. "Okay, Jack." She walked into the cabin and closed the door behind her, quickly spotting Ann, who was lying on the bed and staring up at the ceiling. She looked quite elegant in her white silk robe, with her wavy blonde hair spread out on her pillow. "Hi, Ann. How are you feeling?"

Ann patted the bed beside her. "Sit down, Clytie," she said, still looking up at the ceiling. There was an ethereal, distant quality to her voice.

Clytie crossed the room and sat beside her friend. "What's going on?" she asked curiously.

Ann turned to Clytie, fixing her with a smile. "It's nothing bad, Clytie," she said softly.

Clytie frowned. "Jack said you weren't feeling well."

Ann laughed. "He doesn't understand yet." Then she was quiet again, her eyes looking at something far, far away.

"Ann… Why did you want to see me?"

"You're the only other woman on the ship, Clytie," the actress explained, meeting her friend's eye once again. "And I'm glad it's you. I'll be glad to have another lady with me in the coming weeks." She reached to take Clytie's hand. "You see, no man will understand what I'm going to go through."

Clytie's green eyes went wide. "Ann… Are you telling me… you're… pregnant?" she asked, her voice slightly squeaky.

Ann nodded, smiling.

"Congratulations!" Clytie exclaimed, reaching to hug her friend. "Mrs. Driscoll, you are going to be a _mother_!"

"And I hear _you _are going to be a _wife_," Ann replied, winking. "So congratulations to you, too!"

The two women laughed and exclaimed over each other and hugged for a good ten minutes.

Finally, there was a knock at the door.

Ann giggled and bit her lip. "Oh! It's poor Jack! We've left him out there all alone! He probably thinks we're going crazy in here!" She motioned toward the door. "Let him in, let him in!"

Clytie smiled brightly as she opened the door for Jack.

The writer studied her face, confused. "Why are you smiling like that?" he asked.

Clytie glanced back at Ann and winked. "I'll let your wife tell you," she said as she slipped past him.

Jack walked into the cabin and sat beside his wife on the bed. "Ann?" he asked, frowning in confusion.

Ann smiled at him and took his hand. "Jack… There's nothing wrong with me."

"Then what's going on, sweetheart?" he asked worriedly.

Ann placed his hand on her stomach. "Something right."

"Wh--?" His frowned deepened at first, then suddenly, he grinned. "Ann… Are you serious?"

She bit her lip, smiling and nodding. "Yes, Jack. I'm going to have a baby."

Jack let out a very happy yell and hugged her, then kissed her, then hugged her again.

(A/N: I know it's a really short chapter, but… I had fun with it. I hope you guys are still enjoying. You know I love those reviews! And the story's not over yet!)


	25. Sail Ho!

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. I have been extremely busy lately, looking into what college to transfer to and what not. Thanks for keeping up with me!

Chapter Twenty-five

The waves broke against the prow of the ship with a rhythmic sameness. Clytie leaned against the bow railing, resting her chin in her hand, her eyes distant, fixed on some far point on the sea. She closed her eyes, then, breathing deeply of the salty air. _Don't look over your shoulder, Clytie Seaborne. Don't look back. _

The fog was behind them now, its darkness fading into the horizon.

"Clytie…"

She turned to see Ann Driscoll walking up to her. "Hi, Ann." She gave her friend a smile. "How are you feeling?"

Ann joined Clytie at the rail. "Well. I think the morning sickness is gone--at least until tomorrow morning." Her face, which was always glowing with beauty, fairly shone.

As Clytie studied her friend, she felt a pinprick of envy deep inside, but quickly pushed it away. "I'm so happy for you, Ann. You and Jack will make great parents." She grinned. "Your child will be spoiled beyond reason."

Ann laughed softly. "I have a feeling Jack will be the softer parent. I'll have to be the firm one." She tilted her chin up and tried to look stern.

Now Clytie laughed. "You'll have to bring the kid to see me and Eric sometimes."

"We will," Ann replied. She tilted her head to the side and studied Clytie's face, particularly those hard to read green eyes. "I'm happy for you, too, Clytie," she said quietly. "You and Eric are… right."

"I know," Clytie said, her voice quiet as well. She glanced up at the bridge, where she knew he was. "I'm so glad he survived all that on the island."

"Me, too," Ann said seriously, surprising herself. Then she smiled. "I'll never forget the sight of him aiming his pistol at Carl and threatening to shoot him." She held out one arm, pretending to hold a gun. "Like this."

The two women laughed.

"And then he said he would throw Carl overboard," Clytie added. "That was great, too."

"Yes. It was," Ann agreed, nodding. She aimed her "gun" at Clytie and said in a German accent, "Mr. Denham, if you don't do as you're told, I'll shoot you and throw you overboard!"

"Mercy!" Clytie exclaimed between giggles. "Have mercy on me, Captain!"

"Never!" Ann cried, imitating Englehorn's voice to near perfection. "You do what I say, or I shoot you. You should know that by now, Mr. Denham!"

Clytie and Ann burst into laughter, barely staying on their feet.

"An excellent imitation, Mrs. Driscoll, though I must say, a bit embellished."

Both women spun around to face the blue eyes of the captain, their giggles instantly silenced. He stood akimbo, chin tilted up, expression totally serious. But Clytie noticed the twitch of his lips, the subtle twinkle in his eyes.

Ann cleared her throat nervously. "Captain, I must say, that was one of your finest moments."

_And your most attractive, _Clytie thought with a crooked smile.

"What are you smiling about, Miss Seaborne?" he asked her, maintaining his act of severity.

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "I was contemplating my rather uncontrollable attraction to you, _Captain_," she said solemnly.

"Oh, really?" He took a step closer to her. "And did you come to a conclusion about it?"

"I believe so," she said, smiling again.

Ann smiled at the couple. "I think I'll go find Jack," she said. She left the scene with a wink in Clytie's direction.

"So what are you going to do about this 'uncontrollable attraction,' miss?" the captain asked Clytie, smiling slightly.

"This," she whispered, kissing him soundly.

(LINE)

Jake Atkins saw the kiss. To his surprise, it did not bother him as it once would have. He sighed and went back to reading the T.S. Eliot book he had found lying around in the galley.

"Jake."

Jake lowered the book and looked up at the tall, slim form of his godson. He smiled. "You've shaved, David," he remarked with a wry smile. "Thinking of courting any ladies anytime soon?"

David plopped down beside of his godfather, grinning broadly. "Actually, yes, Jake. Jimmy and Preston and I are going to go on the grand tour of New York during Jimmy's shore leave. And we're going to try to coerce Bruce Baxter into going with us."

Jake chuckled and shook his head. "Interesting plan, David." Then he sobered, studying his godson seriously. "Why this sudden desire for romance?"

The young archaeologist rubbed his newly shaved chin thoughtfully. "Well, I've been thinking lately. I was almost killed on that island--many times. Life may be shorter than we all expect it to be, you know? Isn't there something in the Bible that says 'man knows not his time?' Nobody knows when they're going to die. And anyway…" He shrugged. "This whole thing with Clytie and Englehorn… I don't know. It just makes me want what they've got. I mean, just look at them." He motioned to the spot where the couple had just stood. Then he frowned. "Where did they go?"

Jake raised his eyebrows. "What? Where are they?" He shaded his eyes, quickly looking for his goddaughter. "Should we go look for them? I don't want them to--"

David shook his head and held up a hand. "Don't worry, Jake. Clytie's a good girl. I'm sure she's made that perfectly clear to Englehorn. And besides… The captain and I had a little talk back on the island about… things."

Jake knew that if David, who was so protective of his sister, was not concerned, then he should not be. "All right." He relaxed and reopened the book. "Where was I? Ah yes… 'I will show you fear in a handful of dust…'"

(LINE)

"So then I said, 'There's no way you're any better than _our _captain. I'll make a bet with you. Five bucks says you can't outshoot him."

Jack grinned and looked up from his notepad. Darby was a very entertaining storyteller.

The First Mate turned the wheel very slightly. "And so, there was no way the captain could get out of it. He had to beat this lad with a pistol. And so they stood on the side of the _Venture _and aimed at a very distant target on the shore, set up by me, of course. And the other captain's crew was looking on and cheering for him." The young Irishman grinned. "But of course, we knew that he would never beat Captain Englehorn. He's the best." He paused, peering at a troubling dark spot on the horizon. Then, when he realized that it was only a dolphin, he continued. "So the captain out-shot the other fellow, and I got my five bucks."

Jack quickly finished writing the piece. "Great story, Darby. But… is it true?"

"It's true," said the captain, coming onto the bridge. He glanced sharply at his First Mate. "Mr. Galyon somehow got me into that ridiculous shooting contest. I should have refused. It would have been fascinating to see the man lose a bet."

Darby grinned at his captain. "No man's ever seen that, Captain," he said cheerfully.

Englehorn raised an eyebrow at him. "One day, someone might, Mr. Galyon. You seem to have a knack for volunteering others for foolhardy 'contests.' Your mouth may get you in trouble one day."

"You're right, Captain, of course," Darby said, relinquishing the helm to the captain. "But as long as I'm volunteering _you _for shooting contests, that day will not come soon."

"You are dismissed, Mr. Galyon," the captain said, narrowing his eyes at Darby.

Darby nodded and walked nonchalantly off of the bridge.

Jack stood up from his chair. "I guess I'll be off to check on Ann," he said.

Englehorn gave him a quick smile. "Congratulations, Mr. Driscoll," he said. "I'm sure you're quite happy with your wife's news."

"I am," said Jack, grinning. "And I'm sure you're happy that Clytie accepted your proposal."

The captain nodded. "I am."

(LINE)

Later that day, Clytie stood on the bridge with Englehorn, going over the maps again, checking and rechecking the instrument panels. She was daydreaming about her future when his voice interrupted her thoughts.

"There is more to that mission than you realize."

She turned from the instruments. His back was to her as he stood at the wheel. "What do you mean?"

"It's very dangerous, Clytie," he said, his voice low and tense.

Frowning, concerned, she moved to stand beside him. "Eric… We've already been over this. I don't care _how _dangerous this is. I'm going with you." She gave him an appealing smile.

The captain glanced at her and grudgingly returned the smile. "I know. But… I was rash in agreeing to let you come along." He looked away from her then, clearing his throat, his blue eyes trained on the horizon.

"Eric…" Clytie's stomach clenched. "You… don't want to marry me?"

"That's not it!" Englehorn insisted. "I do! I want to!" He clenched his teeth and shook his head. "Look, woman--I don't ever want to look back on my life and realize that I could have--I could have prevented myself from losing you!"

"You're not going to lose me, Eric!" Clytie exclaimed. "I'm going with you!"

He worked his jaw, still not meeting her eyes. "You don't understand what you're getting yourself into."

"I don't care." She crossed her arms. _I can be just as stubborn as you, Captain Eric Englehorn. _"I'll face anything for you. You know I will."

He turned to smile at her then. "You don't know what you're saying you'll face."

"But you do." She nudged him gently with her elbow. "Why don't you tell me what it is?"

He sighed. "I'll tell you once we reach New York," he told her quietly. "Can you wait that long?"

His crooked smile made her smile. "Yes. I suppose I must." She looped her arm around his. "I'll try not to be such a bother about it anymore."

Englehorn smirked. "Good."

Clytie grinned slyly. "I guess it's safer not to bother you anymore. You'll shoot me and toss me overboard if I keep it up, won't you?"

At that, he kissed her.

(LINE)

Jimmy was off duty, sprawled on the deck with a flashlight and Clytie's Bible. He had already read all of her other books, so now he was starting on this one, which he figured might last him awhile. He was just becoming immersed in a battle scene between the Israelites and some Canaanites when someone came up behind him and said, "Jimmy!"

"Whoa!" He jumped to his feet, then sighed. "You sure scared me, Mr. Galyon. I thought you were a Canaanite, about to lop off my head! What do you need?"

"Jimmy, I need you to confirm something for me, lad," said Darby, rubbing at the bandage on his arm, as he was wont to do these days.

"Sure, Mr. Galyon. What do you need?"

"Walk with me," Darby said quietly.

Jimmy frowned, growing a bit worried. "Sure, sir." He followed Mr. Galyon to the bow of the ship, still carrying his flashlight and Clytie's Bible.

"Look out there, Jimmy." Darby pointed.

Jimmy peered through the darkness. At first, he saw nothing amiss. Then, he noticed what looked like a low star, noticed it because it was growing brighter. And… moving? He blinked, then stared harder at the light. "Oh! It's a ship, Mr. Galyon!"

"That's what I thought," Darby said quietly.

Jimmy looked up at the tall Irishman. "Mr. Galyon, what's another ship doing out here?"

"That's what I'd like to know, lad," Darby replied.

They called out to Englehorn, up on the bridge, who muttered under his breath in German after hearing their warning. "Slow us down, Clytie," he called to her.

Clytie hurried to obey, then stood beside of him, frowning out at the dark night--which was now a bit brighter from the lights of the other ship. "What's another ship doing out here?" she asked, unknowingly echoing the sentiments of Jimmy and Darby.

Englehorn frowned. "I hope it's not…" His voice trailed off, and he shook his head. "No. They wouldn't come out here."

"Eric… What do you mean?" Clytie asked.

"In my area of work, there is a bit of competition," he explained, turning the wheel a bit, so as to avoid crashing into the other ship.

"And you're the best," Clytie added proudly.

He gave her a quick smile, then continued. "I'm assuming that this other ship is one of my competitors. They are probably out here looking for Skull Island, the fools. Or perhaps…" He sighed wearily. "Perhaps they would like to prevent me from taking this next job…"

Clytie shivered at that ominous pronouncement.

(A/N: So sorry it took so long to get this out! I hope you are still enjoying this! I know things are moving rather slowly at the moment, but everything is just leading into the grand finale! And the sequel will be coming after that! I have kind of a basic idea for what I'm going to do with that. Anyway, you know I love a good review! And I know you guys like fast updating. I'll work on getting chapter 26 out more quickly! Thanks! M)


	26. Not Without a Kiss

Chapter Twenty-six

Captain Eric Englehorn was surprised when he was wrong. The other ship, the _Triggerfish, _belonged to Henry Stoker, a good friend of David Seaborne. The captain watched from a distance as young Stoker strolled along the deck of the _Venture _with David. The two friends were chatting animatedly, obviously pleased to see each other. Englehorn couldn't help but feel a bit relieved that he had been wrong, although… It rankled a bit to be wrong…

"Eric?"

He turned and smiled at Clytie, leaning back on the rail. "Miss Seaborne. How has the return voyage been for you?"

She smiled brightly at him, her green eyes warm and alluring. "Quite splendid, thanks to a certain ship's captain I know." She moved to stand beside him at the rail, gripping it with her hands and leaning forward. Her eyes held a distant look now, and it captured the man standing beside her.

Englehorn studied her, holding his breath, almost afraid that she would disappear. She looked like some sort of beautiful wraith in the light of the stars and the ship's lights. He could look at her forever… Although, of course, looking was not nearly enough. He wanted to touch her, to kiss her, to hold her in his arms…

"Eric?" She turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?"

He shrugged, smiling a bit, and crossed his arms, still gazing at her. "You look very beautiful," he said simply.

Clytie bit her lip, blushing slightly. "Thank-you," she said quietly, looking down at the deck.

Their tender moment was interrupted by the sound of David's raised voice. "Clytie! Clytie! Come quickly!"

Clytie gave the captain an apologetic smile. "Excuse me, Eric."

He nodded to her, smiling slightly.

She quickly descended the stairs and walked across the deck to her brother's side. "What is it, David?"

David's hazel eyes were bright. "Henry has just invited us to go on an expedition with him," he explained excitedly, motioning to his friend.

Henry, a tall, pale, blonde young man smiled at Clytie. "We're going on exploration to a newly discovered chain of islands a couple hundred miles off the coast of New Zealand," he added. "You and David would be more than welcome to come. In fact, we would be honored to have two such distinguished scientists as yourselves along."

Clytie frowned thoughtfully. "When are you going on this expedition?"

"In a few months," Henry said. "Whenever we can raise the funds and equipment."

"I'm sure Jake would be happy to help with that!" David exclaimed.

Clytie glanced sharply at her brother, then smiled. David was always volunteering Jake's seemingly endless wealth for something or other. "It sounds promising," she said quietly. Then her frown returned. "But… What are you doing out here?"

Henry smiled proudly. "We came to rescue David, too," he announced.

Clytie raised an eyebrow. "That was… noble of you."

Henry laughed. "Well obviously, we were a bit late. You got there first."

"Good thing, too," Clytie couldn't help but say. "You might not have survived the island."

"Oh, I know," Henry said nonchalantly. He looked from Seaborne to Seaborne. "So? Are you in?"

"Most definitely!" said David, shaking his friend's hand.

Henry turned to Clytie. "And you, Clytie?"

Clytie hesitated. "I--I'm not sure. I recently became engaged, you know."

"Yes, I had heard about that. Congratulations!" Henry winked at her. "But… You're still invited."

"Well thank-you. I'll think about it. But… I'll have to talk things over with my fiancé first. I'm not sure when exactly we are getting married."

"All right." The tall young man turned to David. "Well at least we have you, old pal."

(LINE)

"Maybe you should go." Englehorn did not turn around to look at her as he spoke. He kept his eyes on the horizon, trying to seem nonchalant about the whole matter. "I could go on my mission, and you could go on yours, and then we could marry when we get back to New York."

Clytie frowned. She was, by nature, a rather impatient person. "I don't know, Eric." She sighed, tapping her fingers on the map over which she stood. "Are you sure you want to wait that long to get married?"

He smiled, then. "No. I don't want to wait that long. But… It seems as if it may be best to do so."

Clytie's frown deepened. "Best? Hmph. You just don't want me to go on this new assignment with you. Why not, Eric?"

"I've already told you--it's dangerous, _very _dangerous. That's all you need to know."

"Eric, I've faced danger before. Just look at what we went through!"

"Yes, and I had to save your life, nearly getting killed in the process," the captain replied quickly.

Clytie turned to face him and crossed her arms. "That smacks of arrogance," she snapped.

He turned to frown at her. "And that smacks of whining," he said sharply.

Clytie's jaw dropped. She thought of a thousand comebacks, all biting and vicious, but for some reason, could not speak.

The captain winced. "I'm sorry, Clytie." He ran a hand over his face, shocked not only at her snapping, but at his as well.

"I--I wasn't whining, Eric," she managed shakily, somehow unable to say any of the countless smart comments that came to her mind. "I--I care about you, you know. I want to be with you…" She sighed, embarrassed at her childish behavior. "I'm sorry. I need to stop being so doggone impatient." She looked up at him, green eyes large and round and appealing. "Forgive me? Maybe?"

"Yes, yes," he replied quickly, waving his hand at her, feeling a bit awkward. That big-eyed look on her face was nearly more than he could take. He sighed. "And will you forgive me, Clytie Seaborne?" he asked quietly.

She bit her lip and nodded quietly.

They were both quiet for a moment, then, at the same time, they sighed and shook their heads. They met each other's eyes and laughed.

"Wow. That was rough," Clytie giggled.

Englehorn nodded. "Don't ever put me through that again!"

"You'd better not start that again, either!" Clytie replied, grinning crookedly.

Englehorn smiled at her then jerked his head, motioning for her to come closer. Clytie walked to stand in front of him, still grinning up at him, and he bent down to plant a strong kiss on her lips.

(LINE)

Henry decided that his ship would follow the _Venture _back to New York City. At first, he had thought about exploring Skull Island, but the horror stories told to him by David and the others quickly changed his mind. And soon, David had drawn him in on the "great bachelor adventure" that he was planning with Preston, Jimmy, and an unwitting--perhaps unwilling--Bruce.

The young explorer was a bit disappointed that Clytie was engaged to the captain. He had always been quite fond of her. But, oh well. Perhaps he would find his soul mate along with David and the other young bachelors…

(LINE)

"We'll be back to New York City in… what? A week?" Ann asked quietly. She was sitting at her vanity in the cabin, brushing her wavy blonde hair.

Jack, who was lounging on the bunk, reading one of Clytie's many books, looked up. "I'd say so. Maybe a bit more than that." He smiled at his wife, who could see his face in the mirror. "Don't worry. I think the rest of the journey should be calm and peaceful. The island, the fog--it's all behind us now."

She turned to face him, smiling softly. "I hope so, Jack. I hope you're right."

He stood, grinning down at her. "You know I am. I'm always right!" He crossed the cabin to kneel at her side, then took her hand and kissed it.

Ann bit her lip and smiled. "_Always _right? I'd say… _almost_ always."

He nodded. "Almost always, then."

(LINE)

"Captain Englehorn."

The captain turned from the wheel to see the odd sight of Jake Atkins walking onto the bridge. "Clytie is in the galley," he said quickly. But before he could turn back to the wheel, Jake spoke.

"Captain, I need to apologize to you."

Englehorn raised his eyebrows. "Do you?" This was unexpected.

"As you probably know from my goddaughter, I gave her my blessing to--to marry you," Jake said quickly. He nervously fiddled with his starched collar. "But…" He sighed. "I thought I should personally… apologize to you. Face to face. Man to man."

The captain stood akimbo, studying the other man carefully. Jake Atkins was not a man to say anything lightly. "Apology accepted, Mr. Atkins," he said simply.

"Thank-you," said Jake, relief plain in his face and posture. He turned to go, then stopped and spun back around to face Englehorn. "Captain, Clytie mentioned something about going on a mission with you sometime soon. She says that it involves capturing wild animals or some such… adventure."

Englehorn worked his jaw. That girl! "Actually, we have not yet decided whether she is going with me," he explained. Then he smiled a bit. "Although I have a feeling that I won't be able to stop her when that time comes."

Jake chuckled, crossing his arms. "I know what you mean. I told her not to come on _this _mission. And did she stay behind? Oh no."

The two men were quiet for a moment, both thinking of Clytie.

"Look… Englehorn… Just--just take care of her, all right?" Jake spoke up.

"Of course," the captain replied.

And as Jake studied the younger man, he knew that Englehorn was telling the truth. He was a man in love.

(LINE)

"Your godfather talked to me," Englehorn said as he walked with Clytie toward his cabin.

"Did he?" Clytie felt a bit worried at that.

"Yes. He apologized to me." Englehorn opened the cabin door.

Clytie raised her eyebrows. "Oh? That was very kind of him."

"He also mentioned that you told him that you are going with me on my next assignment," the captain said, crossing his arms and looking down at her with a piercing gaze.

"Yes. I told him that," Clytie replied quietly.

Englehorn suddenly closed his eyes and sat on the edge of his bunk, his forehead creased with lines.

"Eric? Are you all right?" Clytie asked, sitting beside him.

He held one hand against his wounded shoulder. "I think I overdid it a bit today," he said quickly. "I'll be fine."

Clytie put an arm around his shoulders. "See? You need me to come along so I can take care of you," she reasoned. "You're still not over your wounds."

He gave her a crooked smile. "Is that what you think, Clytie Seaborne?"

"Yes. That's what I think." She stood, touching his cheek gently. "I'm going to bed now, my love. Good-night."

Swiftly, he took hold of her wrist and drew her back down beside him. "Not without a kiss," he said. And he kissed her deeply on the lips, his fingers lightly caressing the side of her neck, just below her ear.

It gave her shivers when he kissed her like that.

(A/N: Okay, so it's still taking me forever to get these chapters out! Ah… I remember the days when I was popping out a chapter a day! Lol. Anyways, I'm still having great fun with this. I think either the next chapter or the one after that will be the last. Then I'll start on posting the sequel! Yay! My beloved readers and reviewers had better read and review that one as well! Or I'll throw you off of my boat! Wait… I don't have a boat. At least, not yet, haha. Anyways (again) I love everyone who leaves me a nice review! You keep me going!)


	27. Journey's End

A massive thanks to my esteemed reader/reviewers who have encouraged me every step of the way in this most fun endeavor. I have never enjoyed writing a story so much as I have enjoyed writing this one. And I'm so glad that you all seem to like it! Yay!

Chapter Twenty-seven

"Now look here, fellas… What's in this for me?" asked Bruce Baxter upon being confronted with the "bride search" plan by David, Jimmy, and Preston.

"Just think of all the pretty girls who will become attracted to us!" David exclaimed.

"More porridge?" asked Hofstetter, coming by with a huge pot. "This is the last of it, and we'll reach New York by tomorrow."

"Sure," said David, holding out his empty bowl. As Hofstetter filled it up, he continued talking. "And it won't hurt your reputation at all. In fact, people will see a new side to Bruce Baxter. They'll see that you are good about helping your friends."

The arrogant actor rubbed his chin. "I think I see where this is going…"

"Please agree, Mr. Baxter!" Jimmy pleaded. "It will be so much fun!"

Bruce studied the cabin boy closely for a moment. The idea of Jimmy moving in high social circles _was _amusing… Maybe that would be a good thing. It wouldn't hurt Bruce's image for him to be seen as a philanthropist… "All right, guys. All right. We'll do it."

"Thank-you, Bruce," said Preston. "I'm looking forward to this."

David, who had already devoured half of his second bowl of porridge, grinned. "Let's make bets on who gets a bride first."

(LINE)

Captain Englehorn woke up with a start from a very pleasant dream involving Clytie and a beautiful island--_not _Skull Island. He sat up quickly, too quickly, and his shoulder ached. He stood slowly and looked around his cabin, his eyes finally settling on the pocket watch on his desk. He walked over to the desk and picked up the little timepiece, groaning when he realized how late he had awakened. _Clytie's good-night kiss must have bewitched me… _He smiled at that thought, then hurried to get dressed for the day. As soon as he was dressed, he jogged toward the bridge, mentally berating himself for not rising earlier.

Then, just before he reached the bridge, he heard something that made him stand still and listen. It was music, singing. Two voices, perfectly blended, a man's and a woman's, were softly singing a hauntingly beautiful tune. The captain quietly walked to the door of the bridge and peered inside.

Darby was at the wheel, singing. And Clytie stood behind him, once again watching the maps and instruments, also singing.

Englehorn watched them quietly for a moment, crossing his arms. Then, when they finished the verse they were singing, he cleared his throat.

They both turned to look at him, startled.

"Ah! Captain!" Darby exclaimed. "How are you feeling?"

Englehorn walked onto the bridge. "Much better this morning." He frowned at his First Mate. "Why did you not wake me?"

"Miss Seaborne said you needed your rest," Darby answered innocently. "You're still an injured man, Captain."

The captain leveled his frown on Clytie. "Miss Seaborne?"

"Eric, you haven't recovered fully yet," Clytie replied. She came to stand in front of him. "And you looked so peaceful when I checked on you this morning."

Englehorn sighed. "Don't let me sleep in like that tomorrow," he ordered. Then he smiled slowly. "But thank-you for giving me the rest. I think I needed it." He winked at Clytie, then turned to Darby. "Mr. Galyon, status report."

(LINE)

In Jack and Ann's cabin, a gramophone was playing. The music skipped occasionally with the rising and falling motion of the ship, but the Driscolls didn't really care. They held each other close and danced slowly.

"Jack," Ann whispered in his ear.

"Yes, darling?"

"We'll be home tomorrow."

"I know."

"And this will all be over."

"Yes."

"And next year…" Ann smiled into his shoulder. "We'll have a baby."

She could hear the grin in Jack's voice. "I know, dear."

For awhile, they both were quiet, content in each other's arms, swaying to the softly playing music.

"Jack… I'll miss Clytie," Ann spoke up, frowning.

"I know you will. She's been a good friend to you."

"We'll get to see her again, won't we?"

"I'll make sure of it." Jack chuckled softly. "Though I daresay, she'll be hard to keep up with. She'll be Mrs. Englehorn soon, and if I know those two as well as I think I do, they'll be traveling all over the world in this boat."

(LINE)

Clytie left the bridge to join Preston, David, and Jimmy for a chess tournament in the galley. Englehorn watched her go, watched her until she was out of sight, then turned to Robbins, who was sitting at the wireless. "Mr. Robbins, there is a telegram I need you to send," he said.

A few minutes later, he strode off of the bridge, feeling quite pleased with himself. He walked on the deck for awhile, giving orders to any of his crew that he saw, making sure everything was running smoothly. Then, as always, he felt a strong desire to see Clytie. He quietly headed for the galley, pausing just inside the doorway, so that no one saw him but Hofstetter. He shook his head at the cook, indicating that he didn't want to be seen, then leaned against the wall and watched Clytie, who was seated beside Preston and across from Jimmy, whose back was to the captain.

Clytie looked happy, very much so. She laughed at some dryly humorous joke that Preston made, then made a move on the chess board that threw Jimmy into a state of depression.

For a moment, Englehorn wondered if she would be that happy without him. He frowned and crossed his arms, suddenly thinking that maybe she _could _be happy without him, even that she should be. She would be sad if he left her, but she would get over it. She would marry some rich, boring young fellow, chosen, no doubt, for her by Jake… The captain smiled. No she would not. Not his Clytie. She was not the kind of girl to let someone else choose her life's mate. She would choose for herself.

And she had chosen _him_. Englehorn shook his head, laughing inwardly at his foolishness. Clytie would never allow him to leave her. And even if she did, he could not. He realized that suddenly. If he left her in New York, he would never forget. The captain had always prided himself on his self-control, on being able to detach himself from emotional situations, but… He would never be able to forget Clytie Seaborne. He would go mad, haunted by her memory. She had penetrated all of his defenses, grabbing hold of his very soul.

As he looked at her around the edge of the doorway, he knew that this love between them was a forever thing.

Clytie looked up suddenly, as if sensing his presence. And she smiled. "How kind of you to join us, Captain," she called out.

Englehorn stepped into the galley. "Miss Seaborne, after you are finished with your game, I would like to see you on the bridge," he said.

She raised her eyebrows. "All right. I'll be along in a minute."

(LINE)

"How did the chess tournament go?" Englehorn asked her as she stepped onto the bridge.

Her hair was slightly windblown, her cheeks pinked by the sun. And she seemed oblivious to the fact that she held him spellbound. "I beat Jimmy, Jimmy beat Preston, Preston beat me." She laughed. "I'm not sure how that happened. Each of us lost and won a game." She shook her head. "I guess we all just use different strategies."

"Hm."

Clytie glanced sharply at him. Obviously, he had not called her here to talk about chess. She noticed that he was giving her a slow, up-and-down stare, which made her blush slightly. "What did you want to see me about, Eric?" she asked.

"I cancelled my next job," he said simply. "I'm not going."

Clytie's dark eyebrows raised. "You did? Why?"

He looked away from her, looking instead to the horizon, minding the wheel, turning it ever so slightly.

"Why, Eric?" She came to stand close beside him, touching his uninjured shoulder lightly.

He closed his eyes at the touch of her hand, then turned to look at her. "I want to marry you as soon as possible, Clytie," he said, his voice low and a bit hoarse. "As soon as we get to New York."

Clytie smiled. "That sounds fine with me, Eric." Then she frowned. "But why did you cancel the mission? Couldn't we get married, then go together?"

"That mission is more dangerous than you know, Clytie," the captain replied. "And some elements of it are not exactly legal."

"Oh." She sighed. "So you gave it up."

"Yes." He reached to touch her hand, tracing her long, slender fingers with his. "I would not want to put my new bride in such danger."

"Your new bride." She linked her fingers with his. "That sounds nice."

He kissed her cheek lightly. "Yes. It does."

(LINE)

Clytie awoke slowly the next morning. She had stayed up late last night with David, Henry, Preston, and the Driscolls, celebrating the return to New York. Then she had stood for awhile on the bridge with the captain, and they had shared their good-night kiss out on the deck under the stars… She sighed contentedly and stretched. Soon, she would be a bride. Soon, the good-night kisses would no longer be good-bye kisses as well…

There was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Clytie asked, standing and searching around for her luggage.

"It's Jimmy."

"What is it, Jimmy?"

"We're there, Clytie!" he called excitedly. "We'll be docking in a few minutes!"

Clytie swiftly began to pull off her nightgown. "Excellent!" she exclaimed. "I'll be out in a few minutes!" She washed up with the water and soap on the banged-up little nightstand, then pulled on her black dress and a pair of little black heels, impractical for being onboard, but… She wouldn't be onboard much longer.

As soon as she was in the hall, she spotted Ann, standing at the door of the cabin she had shared with Jack. "Ann! Ann!" she called. "Is it true? Are we almost there?"

"Yes!" Ann exclaimed. She gave her friend a hug, then glanced back into her cabin and put a finger to her lips. "Jack is still asleep," she said.

"Oh!" Clytie covered her mouth with her hands. "Hopefully, we didn't just wake him up," she said, her voice muffled through her hands.

Suddenly, Preston burst out of his cabin, his eyes wide behind his glasses. "Is it true? Are we almost there?" he asked, echoing Clytie's words.

Ann nodded, then nodded back at her cabin, motioning for Preston to be quiet.

"Oh. Sorry." For a moment, he looked sheepish. Then he brightened. "Let's go out on the deck."

(LINE)

Darby, Robbins, and Englehorn were on the bridge.

Englehorn was giving orders for docking, while Darby was manning the wheel.

New York loomed mighty and gray against the midmorning sky. The _Venture _had finally returned from its rescue mission to Skull Island--successful.

Englehorn walked out to the railing and leaned over it. He could see Clytie down on the deck, walking with Ann and Preston. And there were Jack and David, just immerging onto the deck, blinking in the sunlight. Obviously, those two had just awakened. Clytie turned and saw her brother, then ran to him, flinging her arms around his neck.

For a moment, the captain felt sad at the loss of life the rescue mission had brought about. As he watched Clytie and her brother talk excitedly, he did not regret agreeing to go. David Seaborne's life had been saved. That was what mattered. And (he smiled crookedly at this) Englehorn had gained a bride.

(LINE)

Clytie stood at the railing as Jimmy and Schmidt lowered the gangplank. It would feel odd to walk on dry land again. It always did when she returned from a sea voyage. She looked behind her, looked up at the bridge, and caught the captain watching her, as he always did. She smiled at him and gave him a little wave. He waved back at her, making her smile broaden. Then she turned back to face the city.

A police car was parked by the docks, waiting to take Carl, who would be charged as an accessory to assault for assisting in Joe Wilson's vengeful plans. Beside it was parked a limousine, Jake's vehicle of choice, waiting to take Jake, David, Preston, Bruce, and Jimmy to a fancy hotel downtown.

"Clytie." A gentle hand touched her shoulder. It was Ann.

"Yes, Ann?"

"Jack and I are going to get a taxi back to our apartment. Would you like to go with us? You could stay there until you and the captain get things settled, if you like."

Clytie smiled at the kind offer. "I think that would be very nice. I would like that very much." _Much better than staying with Jake and the others, listening to insufferable tales of flirtations and the like._

Ann smiled, as well. "Good. We'd love to have you."

"I'm sure it won't be for long, though," Jack remarked from where he stood behind Ann.

Clytie blushed a bit. "No. Probably not."

"Have the two of you talked about where you're going to live?" Ann asked curiously.

"Not in New York," Clytie replied. "Neither of us wants to live here." Noticing the sadness in Ann's eyes, she added quickly, "But whenever we're in port, we'll definitely come to visit you. And I'm sure we'll be docked here pretty often."

Ann brightened. "Good! Because I want you around when I have my baby."

Clytie smiled. "I'd love to be here."

"I'll make sure that we're here when that happens," came a low, slow German accent from behind her.

She turned around. "Captain!"

"Are you ready to disembark?" he asked.

Clytie bit her lip. "I'm not sure."

He looked around her at Ann and Jack. "Take care of her until I come for her."

"We will," Jack promised.

Englehorn took Clytie's hand and kissed it, then spun on his heel and walked off across the deck, barking orders at random crewmen along the way.

Clytie sighed. "No good-bye kiss?"

"He's a busy man, Miss Seaborne," Jack reassured her. "Come on. I think there's a pay phone in that drug store over there."

(LINE)

After a few swift, but loving, good-byes to Jake, David, Preston, Jimmy, and even Bruce (who was almost too busy looking at his reflection in Jake's limo to care), Clytie climbed into a cab with Jack and Ann.

"Call us when there's a wedding," David called to his sister from the limo. "We want to be there."

"Yeah, and we'll show up with half of the good looking girls in New York!" Jimmy added, making Clytie laugh.

The cab sped away from the dock. Clytie felt a bit dizzy as she looked out the open window, looked back at the _Venture. _She watched it until it disappeared from view, then turned around to settled in the seat, her head against the window, her heart left behind on the ship.

The cabby proved to be very good at negotiating traffic, somehow finding a way through and around the crowded masses of cars. It wasn't long at all before they reached Jack and Ann's apartment building.

Clytie climbed out of the car to be quickly accosted by Ann, who took her hand and said excitedly, "This is where we live! I can't wait to show it to you!"

Clytie wondered if she would be that excited about where she would live with her Eric. And she was sure that she would. She followed Jack and Ann into the building, which was by no means fancy, but nice and clean and conveniently located near all the theaters.

The three of them made their way up the stairs to the third floor, where the Driscolls' apartment was located, dragging their luggage. Clytie was glad that she had packed light.

"The elevators are broken," Jack explained apologetically. "But the landlord said someone is coming to fix them in two or three days."

"That's nice," Clytie replied as they finally made it to the landing on the third floor.

Jack led the way to the apartment door and whipped out his key. "It's so nice to be home," he said, standing in front of the door and looking at it lovingly.

"Hurry up, Jack! I want to show her our rooms!" Ann urged him.

Jack quickly turned the key in the lock, turned the doorknob, and pushed the door open. Then he stepped back and bowed. "Ladies first."

"Such a gentleman!" Ann exclaimed, walking in first. She let out a little squeal when Jack smacked her behind with his suitcase.

Clytie walked in the room sideways, keeping her eyes on Jack.

The tall writer laughed. "Don't worry, Clytie. I save all those for my wife."

Clytie grinned. "Good." Then she turned around and drew in a small gasp of pleasure. "Ann, it's lovely!"

The apartment was pretty good sized, with a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. It was beautifully decorated, with flowers and sun catchers and black-and-white photographs of Jack and Ann and their plays. It was clean, albeit slightly cluttered, and colored in soothing pastels. Clytie immediately liked the apartment.

"Come on." Ann held out her hand. "Let me give you the grand tour."

(LINE)

Clytie laid on the pale blue sofa in the Driscolls' living room, looking up at the ceiling. She had been in the apartment for two days. She loved the Driscolls. She loved their living space. But she missed Eric Englehorn with a passion. Why didn't he come?

Ann walked into the living room, dressed in a long lavender coat. "Jack and I are going to the theater. Would you like to come?"

"Sure." Clytie sat up and stood, brushing off her blue dress.

"I think the boys are going to be there," Ann said, referring to David, Preston, Jimmy, and Bruce.

"Really?" Clytie smiled. "Are they going to help you with your play?"

"I'm not sure," said Ann.

Jack immerged from the bedroom behind her. "I think their purpose in coming is to give us a report on how the 'bride search' is faring," he said with a chuckle.

Clytie grinned and followed the Driscolls to the door, glad for a diversion.

Jack opened the door and just stood there, blocking whatever had him frozen from view.

"Jack? What is it?" Ann queried.

Jack stepped aside, grinning. "Come on, Ann. I think we'll let Clytie deal with our visitor."

There, in the doorway, stood Captain Eric Englehorn, wearing his captain's hat and navy blue pea coat, his blue, blue eyes fixed on Clytie.

The Driscolls slipped around him, winking at each other. "Come to the theater whenever you're ready, Clytie, Captain," Ann called back.

"Eric!" Clytie exclaimed, her voice squeaking a bit.

"Clytie, I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner…" He took off his hat and fiddled with it absently, looking down at his black boots. "There was so much to be done on the ship. I--"

"But you came. That's what matters." Clytie stepped forward, smiling up at him. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too!" he burst out suddenly. "I could hardly bear it! It wasn't right without you… Not without you…" He quickly put his hat back on and stepped forward, sweeping Clytie into his arms, holding her tightly against him. "Oh, Clytie. It's so good to see you again."

When they finally broke apart, he kissed her lips warmly, then her cheek, then her throat, running his hands through her strawberry blonde hair. Then, he stood back from her, taking her hands. "Let's go to the theater. We need to tell the others that we are getting married right away."

Clytie's eyes widened. "But I don't have a dress! And what about a minister?"

"That's all settled." The captain grinned slyly. "I contacted your godfather. He telegraphed from the ship as soon as he learned of our engagement to have your mother's wedding dress sent from Charleston, South Carolina. And I also contacted the pastor of your church. He will be coming to town as well. Tonight."

Clytie felt dizzy--from the toe-curling kisses and this wonderful news. "So… We're getting married tonight?"

"Yes. At the theater."

"Jack and Ann knew about this?"

"Yes." He suddenly drew something from his pocket and slipped it onto her finger, where it settled cold and heavy and beautiful.

A diamond engagement ring.

Clytie bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears.

"Come on, my love." Englehorn took her hand. "We have a wedding to attend."

She smiled up at him through a haze of happy tears.

That night, no star in the sky, no light in the city, shone brighter than her eyes.

THE END

(A/N: What do you think? You like it? I hope so! I loved writing this! And I know that I will love writing the sequel, as well! Yay! It's coming soon. You had better read and review it, if you know what's good for you! Haha. Anyways, if you want to get in touch with me besides reviewing, look up my e-mail address on my site and e-mail me, b/c my private messages arent' working anymore. I don't know why. Anyways, I hate to end this. I really do. But there's a sequel coming up. And two certain married couples and their friends are going to find out that their adventures are not over… Love and Prayers to you all, Marina (wings))


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